


Broken Harmony

by Dessarious



Series: Daminette Soulmate Song AU [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Chloè redemption, Crossover, F/F, F/M, MariBat, Multi, non-canon, not to be transferred or posted to any other site or third party app without author permission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:19:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 106
Words: 133,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22020166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dessarious/pseuds/Dessarious
Summary: Inspired by @ozmav Maribat AUOne in five people in the world have a Soulmate. Damian Wayne was unfortunately one of them. When he was in the League, it was a problem because his mother found out about it. Even though his Soulmate's song in his head was the one good thing in his life, it was still a weakness to be used against him. Once he went to live with his father, it was the same. He was perfectly content to stay away from them in order to keep both of them safe. At least he was until their song changed.The minor chords that invaded his Soulmate's song forced him to action. He had to find them and save them before it was too late.Cross posted from Tumblr under @dessarious with some edits.Some violence and description of injuries, but nothing too graphic since I'm pretty terrible at description.Mostly Fluff and salt.Some mature language
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Series: Daminette Soulmate Song AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023892
Comments: 181
Kudos: 1894





	1. Prologue

Damian was seven the first time he felt the resonance. His mother had taken him to China with her on a mission so he could get an idea for how all his training would be applied. He felt it getting stronger the entire trip and by the time they arrived in the city he was dead certain of what it meant. His soulmate was here.

As soon as his mother figured out he had a soulmate she forbid him to speak of it unless he felt them close. Then she wanted to know about it. She wouldn’t tell him why, but he knew it couldn’t be good. Best case scenario she would kidnap who ever it was and force them into the League, worst case she would kill them. Either way Damian wasn’t about to tell her a damn thing.

He sat on a roof watching as she closed in on her target. She’d noticed his distraction but put it down to the environment. She’d explained to him so many times that people only see what they expect or what they want. He didn’t realize she’d fall into the same trap until that moment. She was just as vulnerable as everyone else; it was a good lesson for him to learn. As he sat there, he felt the resonance wax and wane. They must be out and about but it didn’t seem like they were actively looking for him. That was for the best. He had no intention of meeting them, ever. 

Hearing their song in his head was the only bright spot in his life. The light in the darkness. He knew that light would fade or be snuffed out entirely if they were to ever be a part of this life. He’d much rather have the song is his head and know they were happy. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Damian was fifteen when he arrived in that same town in China looking for his soulmate he’d vowed never to find. It had been three excruciating months since her song had broken. Now every time it changed it was worse. She was spiraling and he could feel it. There was a ticking clock somewhere laughing at him telling him he was running out of time and wouldn’t find her. When their plane touched down and he didn’t feel the resonance he expected, his heart stopped. 

This couldn’t be happening. He was sure this was the place. She had to be here. He was too panicked to think clearly and he apparently acted differently enough that his father decided to leave him behind at the hotel. This was his only real lead. He had felt her here and now he had no idea where to even start looking for her. As he tried to form a new plan he felt as if the world tilted. It happened again, her song somehow gained even more minor chords. Time was running out and he was no closer than when he started. All he could do was hope she’d be able to hold on until he found her. After that he’d find out what happened and destroy everything and everyone who had caused the only light in his life to flicker and almost go out. 

And he could only hope that it didn’t go out completely before he found her. If it did, there would be nothing stopping Damian Al Ghul from resurfacing and setting the world on fire just to watch it burn. 


	2. The Resonance

Ever since Damian’s soulmate song had changed he’d been traveling with his father on business. That song had always been the one bright spot in his life. Sure there were moments when it faltered with anxiety or a touch of sadness, but on the whole it was always a strong, positive, and happy tune. Then three months ago it changed. It almost felt like it had shattered and was replaced by worry, sadness, and despair. 

He’d been worried at first that his own song had finally gotten to be too much for her. He’d always felt sorry for whoever his soulmate was. His song had to be something akin to a dirge or funeral march. He had felt her worry for him on several occasions, which shouldn’t have been possible given the distance between them, and it always gave him hope. 

He quickly discounted that theory though. He’d felt the moment it changed. Like the old song came to a screeching halt only to be replaced with pain and suffering. If he had been the cause, it likely would have been gradual. No something had happened. He didn’t know what, all he knew was that he would find her and destroy whatever had caused his bright spot to dim.

Damian was just getting used to the new song when it changed again. If the first time had felt like glass breaking, this one felt more like being body slammed into a wall. It knocked the wind out of him and left him gasping for air as the tune turned even more heartbreaking than before. He hadn’t thought that was possible.

His family were all eyeing him like he was a rabid dog, just waiting for him to turn and attack them. He hadn’t explained what was going on but his mood obviously worried them. When they went on patrol he was paired with either his father or Grayson and both felt the need to reiterate the no kill policy almost hourly. To say it was grating on his nerves was an understatement. It was no surprise that his brothers let out a collective sigh of relief when two months later, Bruce announced that he’d be taking Damian to tour the European offices. 

That was how he ended up waking two weeks later as his plane touched down in Paris with only one thought cycling through his head. He felt a new resonance in the song. His soulmate was here.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Marinette’s entire world had fallen apart. She’d like to say it started and ended with Lila, but that was only in her civilian life. As Ladybug, Lila was annoying yes, but it was only a mild problem compared to her partner. And then there was the Guardian issue.

As if all that wasn’t enough, she felt her soulmate song shift. Whoever he was, wherever he was, his song had become enraged. The anger coming through the bond almost made her feel as though her body was on fire. She knew she shouldn’t feel that at a distance and it only worried her more. Her song must have changed. With everything that had happened there was no question about that. Was he mad at her for it? It was the only reason she could think of for why it was affecting her so much. 

She spent her days at school trying to act normal as her skin tingled from her own frustration mixed with her soulmates rage. It was difficult, and she wasn’t always successful which just widened the rift between her and her former friends. The more she was isolated the worse the burning got.

When she was around Chat… it was so much worse. She had no clue what her own song sounded like, but it had to be different around her partner for her soulmate to react so strongly. She was almost happy when Chat delivered his ultimatum: I won’t be there for Akuma attacks unless you date me. Granted there was a lot more to the discussion, but that’s what it boiled down to. 

It was a relief to be able to focus on a fight completely rather than worry about what ridiculous stunt Chat might pull or the fire that ran through her veins whenever he was near her. Unfortunately Paris didn’t see it the same way. Everyone assumed that without Chat there the fights took longer causing more damage and time lost. Even though her cure fixed everything people started to resent the ‘extra hours’ they lost. Public opinion was slowly turning, and it was just one more stressor she didn’t need.

So when she woke up late as usual one morning, Marinette was already near her breaking point when she felt the resonance. He was here and his rage burned brighter than ever.


	3. Finding Each Other

When they reached the hotel Damian didn’t even bother to go to his room. Jet-lagged and ready to fight anything and everything in his path he took to the streets of Paris letting the song guide him. He vaguely heard his father calling after him as he exited the hotel but after that nothing really penetrated. He just kept walking and listening. He was forced to backtrack multiple times as a street wound away from his soulmate. It was after midday when he came to a stop in front of a school.

Looking around at all the teenagers he just wanted to rip into someone. The closer he’d gotten to his soulmate the stronger he felt her worry and something else… fear maybe? It hadn’t been there before but he wasn’t sure if it was new or if the distance between them had masked it. It didn’t matter though. Once he found her things would be different. He was willing to burn Paris to the ground if that’s what it took to make her happy again.

He could feel eyes on him from every direction and Damian had a feeling his murderous intent was plain for all to see. Judging from the fact that they were all milling about outside he assumed they were on lunch or possibly in between classes. Since he had no real idea how schools worked in France finding his soulmate felt like a race against the clock. He wanted, no needed, to find her before classes resumed. Deep down he knew that waiting until the end of the day would have disastrous consequences. 

“How could you?!” The shrill voice drew Damian’s attention to the left side of the courtyard where a crowd was gathering. At its center were three girls. One was hanging off the second while pretending to cry. He could tell it was fake from where he stood and wondered how any of these idiots believed her act. The second was where the voice originated. He took them in at a glance but it was the third person that captured his attention.

She was smaller than almost everyone around her but her presence was so much larger. Even with her shoulders slumped in resignment or maybe defeat she was still a bastion of strength and power. He started moving towards her without realizing it. The song had led him here and there was no doubt in his mind that this was his soulmate. 

“Alya, I don’t know what she told you but…” Her words were cut off by a resounding slap. Damian watched as his soulmate, his Angel staggered back and ended up being tripped by one of the others and falling to the ground. The shock and hurt on her face matched the song in his head and he picked up his pace to get to her but before he could the group closed in around her.

Her pain, hurt, and despair were singing strong enough to make him feel like he was drowning. He knew there was sound but couldn’t make out specifics through the fog of rage engulfing him. He forcefully moved bodies out of his way with no regard for how much if any damage he caused. Once he made it through the mass of bodies, he found his soulmate on the ground, curled up and covering her head as some people were still aiming kicks at her. 

“Next person who touches her won’t live to regret it.” 

Damian didn’t know if it was his tone or the look on his face that got the majority to back off and he didn’t care. It was taking all of his self control not to commit mass murder. The only thing holding him back was the need to make sure his Angel was okay, or at least didn’t need to go to the hospital. 

As he walked closer to her the vibrations from the resonance started to take over and drown out even his barely suppressed anger. He’d never really known what to expect when meeting his soulmate, but this… he couldn’t even describe it. There was a feeling of rightness, of calm even. But it was suddenly feeling whole for the first time in his life that really caught him off guard. His entire life he’d been missing something and hadn’t even known it. 

He knelt down next to her, almost scared to touch her as the resonance hummed insistently throughout his body. He wasn’t sure he could survive it getting much stronger even though he knew that was foolish. No one died from their soulmate bond, though more than a few had gone insane once their partner died. When you’ve lived your whole life with the song in your head, the sudden silence was maddening. 

“Are you alright Angel?” He tried to soften his voice but she flinched at the sound. Before he could make another attempt, the shrew who had slapped her spoke again.

“This is none of your business. We’re just giving a bully what’s coming to them.” Literally everyone else had taken one look at Damian and backed off. Everyone except this self-righteous harpy. 

“Turn and walk away if you value your pathetic life little girl.” Damian’s voice came out as more of a growl and the girl finally seemed to sense the danger coming off of him. At least that was his assumption when she slowly backed up without responding. Taking a deep breath he turns back to his soulmate who hasn’t moved. His anger is slowly being replaced by worry and panic. If they had really hurt her, they would pay in blood.

“Angel I need you to talk to me. Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” He still didn’t touch her not sure if she was ready for him to. 

“She’s fine. You can stop with the dramatics and get up Mari. I know you’re not actually hurt.”

His rage ramped back up turning white hot as he glared at the blonde boy leaning against the wall. He had been a spectator the entire time. Not a part of it but not bothering to step in and stop it in any way.

“How the hell would you know? Were you the one that got slapped? The one who was kicked over and over again?”

The boy had the audacity to sigh in annoyance and his tone when he next spoke was as if he was patiently explaining something to a toddler. “She’s fine. Mari just overreacts to things. There’s no need for you to be here or get involved.”

Damian was about to lunge for the boy’s throat when a hand settled lightly on his wrist. The song in his head exploded into a symphony where it was once more like a quartet. He could hear the combination of both of their emotions blending together seamlessly while still being able to pick out each one individually. One of those emotions was fading but it stopped him in his tracks. A lot of her fear had been of him, not the people around them. Something in his own emotions was obviously making that fear go away but it still hurt that it was there in the first place.

When he looked up from where her hand touched him Damian stopped breathing entirely. Even with a bruised cheek and a split lip from being slapped, she was gorgeous. As much as he wanted to go after the ones who had hurt her he could feel her want, no need, to just get away. Now that the bond was fully formed he could also tell how much pain she was in. Her injuries weren’t life threatening but she really did need to go to a hospital.

“Can you stand?” He kept his volume low in the hopes that the idiot from before wouldn’t hear him. Damian wasn’t sure he’d be able to restrain himself if that moron spoke again. She blinked at him almost as if coming out of a trance and nodded once. He wondered if it was just from the bond or if she had a head injury too. 

He stood up and carefully helped her off the ground. In the process he noticed that a couple fingers on her right hand looked to be broken. Judging by her movements and the pain nearly screaming at him through the bond it was a good bet her ribs were, at best, bruised as well. Still she didn’t show it at all. No crying, yelling, or even a wince. Her face was a blank mask and his blood began to boil once more at the thought that this obviously wasn’t the first time she’d suffered injuries this severe.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Her words forced him back out of his head. She was in so much pain, physically and emotionally, but here she was trying to reassure him. She wasn’t just saying the words either, he could actually feel a warmth through the bond trying to sooth him. He was so busy trying to figure out how someone so caring could exist at all, let alone with whatever she’d been going through, that it took him a moment to realize this was the first time he’d heard her voice.

Given the intimacy of their connection her voice shouldn’t have been a big deal. Somehow it was, and the bond actually seemed to enhance it. Physically he heard the weariness in her voice, the smallness of it. Mentally he felt all her pain and exhaustion, the lack of self confidence, and the almost desperate want for someone to care about her. He’d known before that her life had been in a downward spiral but he hadn’t expected her to be so broken.

“Yes, you will be fine because this will never happen again.” Damian glared at everyone still standing around the courtyard. “I’m taking you to the hospital and once they’ve said you’re okay to leave we’re talking to my Father and your parents and fixing this situation. Starting with pulling you out of this school of idiots and cowards.” He may not have any idea what was actually going on but the fact the all those not involved simply sat by and watched as his soulmate was attacked made him feel the description was accurate. 

She just blinked at him. The feelings he recognised through the bond were making his temper rise again. The one that really got to him was surprise. It was as if she was shocked he seemed to care for her or was putting her wellbeing as a priority. Before her song changed he got the feeling she was social. He’d felt loneliness very rarely in her song. Now it seemed to be constant. Could neglect have caused this in six months? He didn’t know but he was going to make damn sure she was put first from now on. 

“I really don’t need to go to the hospital. It’s not that bad.” She was fidgeting and wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Angel I can feel your pain.” He gently grabbed her wrists and looked at her hands and arms. “And I’m not blind. You’ve got at least three broken fingers, probably more fractured. There are cuts and bruises already forming all along your arms and that’s just what I can see. Given that you were covering your head I’m hopeful you don’t have a concussion but it means any shots to your ribs were unobstructed. I’m taking you to a hospital. I’ll carry you if I have to.”

Her eyes shot up to his and her cheeks turned pink. Looking into her eyes he could have gotten lost if not for the fact that apparently that shrew had slapped her hard enough to burst a blood vessel in her eye in addition to splitting her lip. At least he hoped it was all from the slap. 

“Okay. There’s a hospital nearby we can walk to.” She paused and uncertainty tinged the music in his head. “I’m Marinette.” Damian mentally slapped himself. He’d been so caught up in what was happening he hadn’t even bothered to introduce himself. She giggled, he assumed at his embarrassment coming through the bond, before wincing as the movement must have hurt her ribs.

“I’m Damian.” The smile she gave him was so bright and happy he wasn’t sure how to react. No one had ever looked at him like that. “Shall we go?” He wanted to take her hand or put an arm around her to lead her away from this nightmare but he was afraid of touching her. The last thing he wanted was to cause her more pain.

Her smile shifted into something softer, something that felt private somehow. She obviously sensed his reticence and took his hand in hers, the one without the broken fingers, and slowly walked him out of the courtyard. As they walked he went over everything that had happened in his head again and kept going back to the moment she touched him and her fear.

“You want to ask me something.” It wasn’t a question, she could probably feel it though the bond.

“You weren’t scared of them even though they were hurting you, but you were scared of me. Why?” She frowned and he could feel her concentration through the bond. She started biting her lip before hitting the cut and wincing.

“I wasn’t scared of them because I’m used to their anger.” She paused and shot a furtive look at his face. “I was worried you would be mad at me.” Her voice was so soft and unsure. Now that he knew what it was he could feel the worry though the bond. She was still scared that he would get upset with her. 

“Why would I be mad at you? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Once again he wanted to destroy whoever had caused her to be so uncertain of herself.

“You’ve been angry ever since… since my song had to have changed. I thought maybe you were upset with me about it.” 

“You what?” His astonishment seemed to cause a rush of relief in her. He pulled her to a stop and made her face him. He knew she would be able to feel his sincerity through the bond but he still wanted her to see it in his face as well. “I was never mad at you. I was furious that you had been hurt so badly and worried that it felt so different. I wanted to rip off the head of who or whatever had dimmed the joy you had always radiated.” 

“Thank you.” The words were whispered and she had tears in her eyes. She was actually thanking him for being mad for her rather than at her. His grip on her hand tightened and he cupped her unbruised cheek with the other.

“You never have to thank me for being on your side. I hear you, the real you. Just like you hear the real me. I may not know what happened but I do know without question you aren’t at fault. Even though you blame yourself.”

She gave him another one of those soft, private smiles and the song in his head created a harmony so pure it was almost painful in its perfection. It receded slowly as some of her pain resurfaced and it brought him back to his current destination. He ran his thumb lightly over her cheek before pulling away and tugging them both back into motion.


	4. The Hospital

They don’t speak the rest of the way to the hospital. Damian just listens to the song in his head to learn more about her. While he won’t get facts like her birthdate or names of pets, it allows him to access parts of her that no one else will ever see. He wonders if she’s doing the same but her part of the song seems calm, peaceful. It makes him think she’s enjoying the moment and doesn’t want to dig deeper and possibly ruin it. He holds no such reservation.

This new closeness is exhilarating for him. All he wants to do is dive in deeper and find the things they’ll only ever share with each other. Her insecurity is on the surface for all to see but under that is a strength that’s obvious once you know it’s there but so subtle that most would miss it. Beneath that is a feeling of kindness that makes him feel enveloped in warmth. Still deeper is a vibrating energy he can’t place. It just feels so alive. That energy is what lets him know she’s not completely broken. That spark may be buried but it’s just waiting for the right fuel to ignite and burn brighter than ever. That’s his target, his mission. He’ll fan that flame until it’s white hot even if he gets burnt to a crisp in the process.

When they get to the hospital he insists on filling out the forms for her. He’d say it was due to her injuries if asked but it also gave him a way to learn some of those facts about her. Full name, birthday, allergies… you know the important stuff that it was socially necessary to know about friends and family. And, in the case of allergies, so you don’t accidentally kill them. 

She in turn asked him for his answers to the same questions. When he told her his last name was Wayne he expected a reaction but there was nothing. She had no idea who he was. It was strange but in a good way. His song shifted from calm to slightly agitated and back to calm during his answer and she looked at him quizzically but didn’t press. She also didn’t seem bothered when he moved on to a new topic. He was used to his brothers trying to force information out of him so her passive approach to questioning was a welcome change. He could feel her trust and knew that she believed he’d tell her when he was ready. 

A nurse finally called her name and Damian immediately got up to follow. It earned him a raised eyebrow and disapproving look from the woman but Marinette just took his hand in her good one and waited until she showed them to a room. Marinette sat on the exam table but didn’t let go of his hand. Damian was surprised that it didn’t bother him. He wondered how much of that was because he could tell how much she liked the contact.

“Hello Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. I’m Dr. Belot. Your intake paperwork lists blunt force trauma as the reason for your visit today?” The doctor walked in reading the initial paperwork but when she looked up at Marinette she drew in a sharp breath. It had been almost an hour and a half since the assault and a lot more bruises had appeared and were turning interesting colors.

Dr. Belot walked over and started examining her. First her face and head, then moving to her arms and hands. She was frowning and muttering the whole time.

“Are there any injuries that aren’t visible?” Marinette hesitated, he could almost hear the words ‘I’m fine” in his head, so Damian answered for her.

“Her ribs specifically on her back. She managed to curl up before they could get much damage into her front.” The doctor blinked at him, taking in his glare and tense posture, before frowning.

“I get that you’re upset about whatever happened but you need to calm down. We don’t need an Akuma in the hospital.”

“A what?” His Angel’s shock in his head matched the look the doctor gave him. It was obvious he was missing something but suddenly he could feel Marinette trying to reassure him through the bond. The melody turned calming, almost like a lullaby. He could only stare at her in confusion.

“I’ll explain later. For now just try to keep any negative emotions to a minimum. It’s over now and there’s no permanent damage.” Her voice was just as soothing and despite having no idea what was going on he tried to do as she asked.

“Well I’ll be the judge of the damage. I’m going to send you for x-rays for your chest, back and arms. Once that’s done I’ll splint these fingers and we’ll see if anything else needs to be done. You don’t have a concussion and most of the bruising should clear up in a few weeks. A nurse will come to give you a gown and take you to x-ray. I’ll be back after the techs have taken a look at them.” 

She left the room without waiting for a response and before Damian could ask Marinette about what an Akuma was a different nurse walked in with a gown and a wheelchair. Marinette let go of his hand to stand up and he realized that she wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the contact.

“Damian, could you umm…” She cleared her throat. “Could you turn around while I put the gown on?” 

“Oh, yes of course.” He turned towards the wall and felt a blush on his cheeks. Since when did he blush? It must be her embarrassment that he was feeling. Damian Wayne did not blush.

“Okay, you can turn back now.” She sounded slightly out of breath and her melody had a jagged edge to it signifying pain. When he turned and looked back at her she was in the wheelchair and had a grimace on her face.

“Are you alright? Can you give her something for the pain?” The last was spoken to the nurse and sounded far more demanding than he’d meant to. But his Angel laid a hand lightly on his arm.

“It’s okay. The pain is not that bad and I’d rather deal with it than feel all weird from pain meds.” She scrunched her nose in distaste at the thought and he couldn’t help but think how cute that expression was. Then the nurse broke in with the most inappropriately cheerful voice he’d ever heard.

“Well it’s time to get those x-rays! You can wait here, I’ll bring her back when she’s all done.” He didn’t like the idea of being separated from her. No matter that they were in a hospital who knows what could happen to her while she’s out of his sight.

“It’s okay really. I shouldn’t take more than half an hour.” He nodded in resignation but had to wonder how many times she’d had this done that she could give him a time estimate off hand. After the nurse wheeled her out he sat down on a chair in the corner to wait impatiently. That was when he thought to check his phone and saw all the missed calls and messages from his father.


	5. Decisions

The most recent text just said, “I’m coming to the hospital. Stay where you are.” Crap. He’s been so focused on the bond and Marinette that it hadn’t even occurred to him how his father would react to his leaving to hotel without a word. He hit the call button a waited.

“What happened?” His voice was curt, tense. Anyone else would think he was mad rather than worried.

“Nothing happened to me.” Damian paused trying to decide how to continue. He wasn’t sure how much he should share without talking with Marinette. He may have a direct link to her emotions but he had no clue how private she was with strangers.

“Then why are you at the hospital?”

“My soulmate was injured, I’m here to take care of her.” There was dead silence on the other end of the line. 

“Since when do you have a soulmate?” Damian blinked at the question, but when he stopped to think about it he couldn’t recall mentioning it to his family.

“Since always.”

“And this is the first I’m hearing of it why?”

Damian looked at the door to the room and the obviously thin walls debating the likelihood of being overheard. “Mother and Grandfather didn’t consider it an important subject. I got into the habit of not mentioning it.” He swore he could hear Bruce’s exasperated expression.

“Wait, is that why you’ve been so moody and developed a sudden interest in the business?”

“I have not been moody.” 

“But it is the reason for the sudden interest in our international business?” 

“Yes.” 

“I wish you would have just told me what was going on. If you wanted to find your soulmate I could’ve just sent Dick or Jason with you and you could have gone a more direct route in looking for her.”

Damian scoffed. The last thing he wanted was any of his brothers traveling with him constantly making comments about what kind of person his soulmate was and otherwise making fun of him. No thanks. But… he would have found her sooner. If that had happened today wouldn’t have. Marinette’s song turned softer and reassuring. She was still more worried about him than herself.

“What happened? Is she alright?” Damian realised he hadn’t responded and was still not certain how much he should share.

“She will be. I need to ask her what she is comfortable with me sharing with you before I give you any details.” 

“Understandable. Can you tell me what made it so urgent that you find her?” 

Damian hesitated. “Her song changed. Drastically.” If he was being honest with himself he’d always figured she’d be better off without him. What use would someone who radiated joy and life have for his death and chaos? Judging from this morning though it seemed that might be exactly what she needed.

“I see. Well I’m here so I’ll see you both in the waiting room.” He hung up before Damian could reply. Would Marinette even want to meet his father in her current condition? He would figure something out if she didn’t and would just hope it wouldn’t require separating from her. He checked the time. Twenty minutes since she’d gone for x-rays. 

It was another five before the overly cheery nurse wheeled her back in. He was up immediately when he noticed a tightness to her expression. The nurse left quickly just saying that the doctor would be back when they had gone over the x-rays.

“What’s wrong?” Seeing her he realized how much she was able to hide, even from him. The pain coming through the bond was much less than it had been even though nothing had been done. She was trying to flood it with positive emotions and it muted the minor chords.

“It’s okay. Just some of the positions I needed to be in to get proper x-rays didn’t feel great. Are you okay? You seemed… tense.” 

‘Fine.” He let out a sigh. “My father has been trying to get ahold of me all morning and apparently decided to track my phone so he’s in the waiting room.” At her shocked look he barreled forward. “I didn’t give him any details because I wasn’t sure what you would want him to know and if you don’t want to meet him right now, I can find some way to get you out without seeing him.” He was all ready to go into various plans to leave undetected when her voice stopped him.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t want you to get into more trouble for helping me than you already are.” And there was the guilt. That he definitely recognized. Even before her song had changed so much guilt was a constant. After spending even this little bit of time with her he could tell she blamed herself for a lot of things. Most of which she probably shouldn’t.

“I’m not in any trouble.” Well, he didn’t think so anyway. “Besides I don’t want you to feel you have to meet him now. A lot of people find him… intimidating.” Which was true, but he didn't really want his father to embarrass him in front of her this soon.

“And how do you expect to talk to my parents and your father about pulling me out of school if I don’t meet him?” Oh god he had said that hadn’t he. Her song had a wariness to it now. 

“I’m sorry if I seemed overbearing. I realize that you have the right to make any and all decisions about your life and this situation I just… when I saw what they did to you I just reacted. I’ve spent the last six months worrying about what happened to you and it all just came out.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m used to being able to fix things so I just defaulted to damage control. I’ll abide by whatever you decide, but if you stay I’m going to become your shadow. I won’t let them hurt you again one way or another.”

He stood stiffly as she studied him after his speech. The song was suspiciously devoid of a reaction and it worried him. He should be getting something, anything. But instead she just stared at him before a small smile formed.

“Your father’s just going to be okay with you moving to Paris to keep an eye on me then?” He felt his face heat at her teasing.

“Honestly? Yes. If that’s what is necessary for you to be safe he’d likely encourage it.” She seemed surprised by his frank answer. Whether is was because his awkward social skills wouldn’t let him tease her back or because his father would actually let him move to another country he didn’t know.

“So what is an Akuma?” Definitely time to change the subject and she did say she would explain. 

“Have you heard of Paris’ villains or heroes?” She seemed hesitant and there was guilt in her song again. Then his brain caught up to her words. Wait, what?

“I haven’t. Are they new?” Had to be. There’s no way the League wouldn’t have heard about it otherwise.

“No. They’ve been around for about two years now.” He tried to hide his surprise but obviously wasn’t successful as her curiosity picked up. He’d have to ask her how she managed to mask some of her feelings. 

“Okay, and they have something to do with these Akumas?” As much as he wanted to freak out or find his father and figure out how they’d missed this for two years, he needed to stay on point. 

“The main villain, Hawkmoth, he sends out these Akumas, black butterflies, to possess people who are feeling strong negative emotions. He offers to help them in exchange for them getting what he wants and then turns them into supervillains.” She was concentrating hard on her words. He had a feeling she was trying to use terms he would understand and was having an internal debate over whether he should be grateful or annoyed.

“The villain uses butterflies? That seems a little… strange.” That was not the word he wanted to use but he didn’t want to offend her. His Angel just shrugs. 

“I guess it probably is but that’s just how his powers work. Everyone in Paris is constantly trying to regulate their emotions so they don’t end up being a terrorist’s pawn. Well mostly everyone.” The last sentence had a bitterness to it but before he could question her the doctor came back.

“Well the good news is that your ribs are just bruised.They’re going to be tender for awhile but otherwise they’re in good shape. Your arms on the other hand… that’s what took me so long. It looks like you’ve got hairline fractures on both your forearms. I’m not going to recommend casts at this time, but if you can’t refrain from lifting or pulling too much weight, it may become necessary.” She looked at them before giving out a sigh. “Also any impacts could worsen the fractures. I saw the video and if you feel that situation is likely to happen again, I would suggest casts.”

“What video?” Damian immediately pulled out his phone. “What’s the name of the school you go to?” He hadn’t been paying attention to anything but Marinette and the bond. She gave him the name and he used that and her name to do a search. The video the doctor had to be referring to came up immediately. One of them had videoed the encounter and was actually stupid enough to post it online.

“Damian you need to calm down.” Her song was calming, soothing in his head but when he looked up her face was painted with worry. “Deep breaths. I’m okay now so there’s no reason dwelling on it.” He tried to do as she asked and let her melody wash over him. The doctor was looking at him warily as he let his Angel guide him through breathing exercises.

“How did you end up seeing that video?” The doctor didn’t look old enough to have a child their age. She let out an annoyed sigh.

“A couple of the nurses were watching it thinking it was fake or something. I suppose that would have been my immediate reaction too if I didn’t know you were here. It does seem far fetched that anyone involved would actually post something like that. With your permission, I’d like to send the video and your medical information from this visit to the police.”

“What, why? It wasn’t… they were just…” She was trying and failing to come up with something to mitigate what they had done. They treated her horribly and she was still trying to protect them. 

“Angel.” She stopped to look at him, her eyes wide and frightened. He took her good hand in his and rubbed soothing circles on the back of it. “I don’t know why you feel any loyalty to those people but think about it for a minute. One good shot to the head and you could have died.” She opened her mouth to argue but he just kept going. “Not to mention, if they felt it was okay to do this to you what’s to stop them from doing it to someone else. Do you really want someone to get hurt when you could have stopped it? They need to know there are consequences to their actions. They need to know this isn’t okay.”

He watched as she mulled over what he said. The song didn’t reveal much more than intense concentration.

“But if the police end up looking into it they’ll want to question you. I don’t want to make you have to do that. What if you get in trouble with your father over it? I don’t want to cause problems for you.” He just… stared at her. 

“Do you ever actually worry about yourself?” She just blinked at him in confusion which was answer enough. “I absolutely won’t get in trouble for doing the right thing. Honestly if anything my father will be happy I’m letting this go through proper channels instead of handling it myself.” She looked at him quizzically but didn’t comment.

“I guess it’s okay to send. Maybe if they get a wake up call now they’ll have time to change.” If he wasn’t connected to her he would have a hard time believing anyone would be that concerned about a group of people they should want to burn. Fate must have been drunk when it paired the two of them.

“Good. I’ll do that now and send a nurse in to splint and wrap your hand. I know you said you didn’t want any pain meds but I’m giving you a prescription just in case. Generally the pain gets worse the next day.” And with that she was gone again. After that things went far more quickly. Marinette’s hand was situated and she was given care instructions then they were on their way.

Damian scans the waiting room as they enter noticing his father close to the exit. He had his tablet out, probably doing work, but he knew they’d been noticed. Even though he knew that he still turned to Marinette.

“Are you sure you want to do this now? He won’t hold it against you if you’re not up for it.”

“I’m sure. I have a feeling you’re going to be sticking to me no matter what and I’m sure it would make him feel better about it if he met me and my parents.” Damian wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It was true, but he was trying to make her comfortable and all she kept thinking about was other people. How was he supposed to take care of her when she didn’t give him any clues on how to do it?


	6. Meeting and Messages

He slowly leads her to where his father is sitting. He feels nervous for some reason and can’t help but wonder if they're feeding off each other's emotions. There’s no reason for him to be nervous. His father will love his Angel, and if he doesn't, that's his problem. Bruce looks up as they get closer and he feels Marinette hesitate and take a deep breath. It was definitely her nerves he was feeling.

“Father I’d like you to meet Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette this is my father, Bruce Wayne.” He waited a moment for recognition to appear but just like with him she seemed to have no clue who his father was.

“Mr. Wayne it’s very nice to meet you. I’m sorry for any anxiety or trouble I’ve caused. If Damian hadn’t been so busy helping me I’m sure he would have gotten back to you sooner. I hope you’ll forgive me for being such a distraction.” Damian caught the shocked look on his father’s face before he hid it. He was certain his own expression wasn’t much better.

“I assure you there is nothing to forgive and please call me Bruce.” Her smile was blinding. Even with the bruises cuts she managed to light up the room. He had no idea how that was even possible. “Do you mind if I ask what happened?” Her face fell immediately and Damian felt an overwhelming need to strangle his father.

“It’s okay Angel. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.” Her eyes were on the floor as she shifted from foot to foot. 

“You can show him the video. It’s probably easier than explaining.” Her voice was small and the song in his head took on an anxious melody.

“Are you sure? It’s really not necessary.” She somehow manages to draw in on herself and look even smaller.

“Yes. It’s out there for anyone to look at and with the police getting involved I doubt it’ll be long until he sees it anyway.” He hesitated a moment longer, wanting to argue further, but she was right. It was only a matter of time at this point.

With a sigh he pulled out his phone and cued up the video before handing it to his father. Bruce looked concerned at the mention of police but didn’t show any visible reaction to the video. Damian noticed that his entire body seemed more tense though and knew he was pissed. The longer the silence lasted the smaller Marinette seemed to become. Bruce looked at Damian.

“This won’t be happening again.” Marinette flinched and Bruce softened his tone. “I’m so sorry you had to go through something like this. If there’s anything you need please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Marinette finally peeked up at him and started to choke up at the concern she saw. “Thank you sir. That means a lot.” The surprise, relief, and gratefulness that flooded her song worried Damian. Did she have no one in her life she could count on?

“We should probably get you home, I’m sure your parents are worried about you.”

Marinette paled slightly and a look of concern came over her face. “I forgot to call them. They probably think I’m still at school.” Well that explained why they hadn’t come rushing to the hospital. Damian had hadn’t even thought to wonder about that until now.

“That just means less time worrying for them then.” Marinette gave his father a small smile for his words.

“I suppose that’s true. I should probably call them before we get there so my father doesn’t pull me into a bear hug the second he sees me.” Yeah that wouldn’t be pleasant in her current condition. She pulled out her phone to make the call but froze as soon as she unlocked it. Her song turned chaotic and her breathing turned shallow. As her eyes glazed over he realized she was having an anxiety attack.

Damian grabbed her phone and saw a screen full of messages from what he assumed were from her classmates. Messages calling her a bully or saying she got what she deserved. One actually gave detailed advice on how she should kill herself. It took all his self control at that moment to not go back to her school to set it and everyone in it on fire. 

Bruce saw the look on his son's face and took the phone from him, scowling at the screen when he saw it. “Damian.” He slowly turned to look at his father. “I’ll deal with this and call her parents. She needs you now and she needs you calm.” He looked at his Angel and realized she hadn’t moved and was close to hyperventilating. His father was right, he needed to calm down. She needed a rock not an inferno.

He took a few deep breaths to try and dampen his rage and tried to get his song in check. Now that he could hear both of them it was actually easier and he knew exactly what she was hearing and could try to modify accordingly. Maybe that was how she’s been able to mask some of her emotions earlier?

“Angel?” Nothing. Her eyes held a glazed look and her song felt muted almost. It made him think of a fog rolling in. He put his hands lightly on her shoulders and stooped down to put his face directly in her line of sight. “Marinette? I need you to breathe with me. Can you do that?” She gave a jerky nod and he began taking deep breaths putting as much comfort into his song as he could. She slowly fell into the same rhythm and her song became clearer.

“I’m sorry.” Guilt flooded her song and Damian could only look at her in confusion. “I’ve been telling you all day to try and keep your negative emotions to a minimum and then I go and do this. I should be better than this.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. After the day you’ve had, let alone whatever’s been happening to change your song, you have every right to feel the way you do. The fact that there’s someone out there taking advantage of that doesn’t change it.” 

“Can I hug you?” The words were so soft Damian almost couldn’t make them out. Her song was tinged with hope and apprehension. Eyes tearing up and a tremor in her smile told him how much she needed the contact. 

“Of course.” He opened his arms and she practically fell into him. Her arms went around him and she buried her face in his chest. Damian wasn’t used to hugs in general but he was also afraid of hurting her so he had a long internal debate over what to do with his hands. He finally settled on placing them gently on her waist hoping he didn’t hit a bruise.He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but by the time she pulled back the front of his shirt was damp.

“We should go. Your Father’s waiting for us.” Both her voice and song sounded a bit stronger. His own melody hummed in contentment that’d he’d actually been able to comfort her. Damian knew how to hurt people. He’d been trained to do so practically since birth. So the fact that his soulmate actually took solace in his presence was a miracle. It made him feel human.

“I suppose we should. He’s probably called your parents by now. And you’re not getting that phone back by the way. He’ll probably want to take it to the police as more evidence and given the little I saw you really need a new number anyway.”

Marinette cocked her head at him giving a look he couldn’t decipher and her song held a bit of wariness again. He frowned in confusion for a moment before putting it together. He did it again. He was taking control of things without asking. Well, more he was assuming his father would but still. How was he supposed to not fix things? People didn’t come to him to just talk and be heard. If someone came to him with a problem he just dealt with it. He didn’t know how to just be there and listen.

Something of his thoughts must have come through in his song for her because her expression softened. “There are numbers in that phone that I’ll need, and some pictures.” She didn’t say anything about changing the number and that worried him but he didn’t want to say anything until he could get his thoughts in order and come up with arguments to convince her rather than just tell her she needed a new number. Actually caring how someone thought about him was going to be exhausting. 

Damian stepped back before holding out his arm. “Shall we then?” She gave him another one of those bright smiles, a real smile, before linking her arm through his. Once they made it outside he felt her take a deep breath and looked down in time to see her wince at the pain it caused. He opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it.

“I’m okay, really, and I don’t need pain meds.” He closed his mouth and sighed heavily causing her song to lighten considerably. It took him a minute to figure out that she was basically laughing at him internally. “I appreciate that you’re trying.” The words were soft and he almost didn’t catch them.

“I meant what I said. I know your life is your own and I don’t want to take that from you. I just…” He didn’t know how to explain. He wasn’t even sure he understood it himself. 

“You’re used to being in control and having the power to fix things. You also don’t agree with how I tried to handle things, even though you don’t know the full story behind it, which just makes you want to get more involved because you assume you’re right and I’m wrong.”

He blinked down at her, frozen in shock. She got all that from his song? He opened his mouth to deny the last part but closed it abruptly when he realized she was right. He was dead certain he knew how to deal with the situation. The fact that he’d only seen what happened this morning when it had obviously been going on for months never crossed his mind. He knew what was right, end of story. 

But staring at her now, hearing the steadiness of her song, he had to wonder if it was. He had to wonder if there was something he was missing. He just assumed that she needed to be saved and maybe she did but from what exactly? As his thoughts descended father into confusion his Angel laid a hand lightly on his cheek.

“I appreciate your concern, more than you know. But remember that things aren’t always exactly how they appear. I…” She paused and he felt wariness once again. He felt a tightness in his chest and wished he didn’t cause such a reaction. “I would like to have your help but I can’t risk you trying to take control of the situation. There are so many things you don’t understand yet. Those things can hurt you.”

Her expression was so earnest and her song held a certainty he’d rarely felt. He wasn’t sure how to feel about the fact that she was so worried about him. After everything that had happened, it was his safety she was concerned about. It honestly made him feel like she could see a target on his back that he wasn’t aware of.

“Will you help me understand?” He didn’t know where the words came from and her shock was nothing compared to his that they came out of his mouth. But her smile and the euphoria he felt at the joy radiating out of her song was well worth it.

“Yes, if you’ll let me.”


	7. Meeting the Dupain-Cheng's

Once Marinette gave Bruce her address the car ride was silent. Damian had no idea what was going on in his father’s head but wondered if he might be reconsidering his stance on murder. His Angel was worried. Extremely worried. He wanted to help, say something, do something… but he had no idea what. He settled for taking her hand and gently rubbing circles on the back of it and got a grateful smile in return. That just got him wondering how she could have so many different smiles and how long it would take him to see them all.

When they pulled to a stop he gave his father a confused look. “I think you put the address in wrong.” Marinette just laughed at him.

“Nope, this is home. My parents own and run the bakery and we live above it.” She frowned at the Closed sign on the door and sighed. “And they’re going to lose half a day of business because of this and it’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault.” Bruce’s calm voice held an edge to it that most people wouldn’t notice. Damian did, and he had a feeling Marinette did as well but she didn’t acknowledge it.

“I should have told them what was going on before it got this bad. So yes it is my fault. I just didn’t want them to worry. I didn’t want to risk them getting Akumatized over something so small.”

“We have very different definitions of the word small.” The comment came from Bruce and Damian was simply staring at her not certain how to take her comment. She was completely serious, that he could tell, but how had this become her thought process? “Besides I’m sure your parents want to be there for you and you’re denying them that by withholding information.”

Marinette just frowned and gave a little hum before opening the door to the car and getting out. The Waynes followed as she walked around to the side door. They entered to steps in front of them and a door to their right. Marinette walked up the steps to another door and took a deep breath before opening it.

“Maman, Papa.” She walked in and stopped a few feet away from the door, uncertain. She gave enough room for Damian and Bruce to file in behind her and he got his first look at her home and parents. His first thought was that her father was huge. His Angel let out a small giggle before controlling it and Damian was starting to wonder if she could actually hear his thoughts. 

Her mother ran to her with tears in her eyes, cupping her cheeks gently and surveying the damage. “What happened?” Her tone was concerned but also angry. He could tell she wanted to tear apart whoever had hurt her daughter. Her father was standing behind the counter gripping a dish towel like he was strangling someone. He didn’t move towards his child but, remembering Marinette’s comment about his hugs, figured it was so that he wouldn’t accidentally hurt her. 

“It’s okay. The doctor said I’ll be fine in a couple weeks.” Damian frowned at her and both her parents caught it but her mother just rolled her eyes. 

“Just looking at you I can tell that’s not true. And you didn’t answer my question. What happened?” Her voice hardened to steel and Damian, for all he was Robin, felt a shiver go down his spine. He really hoped that tone wasn’t ever directed at him. Marinette looked back at Bruce in confusion.

“You didn’t tell them?”

“I thought you would want to explain things. I only told them that you had been in an altercation but weren’t too seriously injured and we’d be bringing you home shortly.”

“And who exactly are you?” Her father’s voice seemed to boom in the small space and his glower was enough to make a normal person wet themselves. Luckily for Damian, he wasn’t normal. But it was Marinette who answered.

“This is Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian. Damian is the one who took me to the hospital.” She paused, but continued before her parents could respond. “He’s also my soulmate.” They both looked stunned for a moment before sharing a look he couldn’t decipher.

“You’re sure?” Her father asked in confusion and her mother rolled her eyes.

“Tom! Ignore him, it’s very nice to meet you both.” Damian blinked as her tone had gone from ice to warmth in a split second. “I’m Sabine and this is my Husband, Tom.”

“You both seem surprised by Damian, may I ask why?” Bruce was apparently just as confused as he well. They shared another look and Sabine answered.

“It’s just that with the way Mari described her soulmates song, especially when she was younger, we were honestly expecting there to be an age gap.” Damian frowned in confusion again before it hit him. He always figured his song sounded depressing at best, even when he was very young. Most children wouldn’t sound like that. Sabine was directly in front of him now. When had that happened? He felt like she was looking into him and it was rather disconcerting. 

“I don’t know what you’ve been through and I don’t expect you to tell us. Just know that our home will always be a safe place for you should you need it.” Damian swore he felt his brain melt.

“Maman, you’re scaring the poor boy.” Marinette’s voice held barely repressed laughter but given the joyous song in his head, she may as well have been rolling on the floor with it. Clearing his throat in embarrassment, he tried to salvage his dignity.

“That’s very generous of you Ma’am…”

“Sabine.” He blinked at her, not expecting to be interrupted. “No need to be so formal. I’m Sabine and he’s Tom.” She pointed to he now smiling husband.

“Err… right.” He knew he sounded like an idiot and couldn’t help it. He still felt Marinette laughing in his head and a glance at his father showed he was enjoying this way too much. Sabine decided to take pity on him and focus back on her daughter.

“As creative as that was for a distraction, don’t think I’ve forgotten my original question.” The joy in her harmony came to an abrupt halt causing a jarring dissonance in his mind. He watched as his Angel curled in on herself.

“You have to both promise to stay calm and not let your emotions get out of hand. You should also probably sit down. I could get you some tea.” She was walking towards where her father stood in the kitchen but Sabine stopped her with gentle hands on her shoulders directing her to the table instead.

“We’ll get the tea. You should be resting anyway. Do either of you gentlemen want anything?” 

“Tea would be wonderful.” Bruce said as he nudged Damian to pull him out of his stupor.

“Yeah… uhh, tea would be great Ma’am.” She narrowed her eyes at him and he hastily corrected himself. “I mean Sabine.” Seriously, the woman was tiny how could she be so intimidating? He could feel Marinette’s sympathy through the bond as he went to sit beside her.

Once everyone had tea and was settled, Sabine and Tom were completely focused on their daughter. Damian honestly thought she was going to pass out. She looked at him.

“Show them.” He physically reeled back. She couldn’t be serious.

“Angel are you sure that’s a good idea?” He barely registered their parents fawning over the nickname.

“Yes. That way I can keep an eye out for Akumas without any distractions.” Her parents shared a look when she said that and he marveled at their ability to communicate without words. He needed to remember to ask if they were soulmates. Later. He slowly pulled out his phone and queued up the video hesitating until Marinette nodded at him reassuringly. 

As he handed the phone to her parents he felt as though he’d just lit a fuse and had no way to get clear before the explosion.


	8. Reactions

Damian was on edge and as soon as Sabine hit play he felt a countdown start. Marinette was trying to look everywhere at once. Well, everywhere except at her parents. As he watched them though he noticed Tom’s face get continually redder and Sabine’s expression turned harder. When she set down the phone he held his breath. 

“Tom.” She touched his hand to get his attention and he started before meeting her eyes. “If any of them come into the bakery, you can chase them out with a rolling pin.” He blinked down at her, his face losing some of the extra color, before he burst out laughing. Damian shared a look with Bruce both thoroughly confused.

“I won’t even make it out of the kitchen before you freeze them out with one look.” They were both laughing, barely able to breath. Marinette’s relief practically pulsed at him though her song. She finally seemed to sense his confusion and gave a sympathetic smile before trying to explain.

“When all your negative emotions can be taken advantage of by a magical terrorist you find interesting coping mechanisms. Maman and Papa have taken to using humor to make sure their emotions are never dark long enough to attract an Akuma.” She still eyed them warily. “I just hope it keeps working.”

“Marinette.” She straightened up at her mother’s voice, he and his father did as well to be honest. “How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing like that happened before today.” Sabine raised an eyebrow at her and she visibly wilted, looking away. “They completely turned on me about six months ago.” The words were barely audible but with no other sound in the room they all heard them clearly. Tom looked devastated. Sabine reached over and pulled her daughter into a hug. Damian noticed she was careful not to move too fast or hold too tight.

“Right around the time Monsieur Fu passed?” His Angel just nodded into Sabine’s shoulder. “And we assumed all the changes were caused by that. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault Maman. I didn’t want you to worry and I thought I could handle it.” Her guilt and shame threatened to overwhelm Damian. Luckily his father didn’t have that problem.

“Monsieur Fu?” It was Tom who answered Bruce’s query.

“Monsieur Fu worked at a local massage parlor and also did classes in meditation and other forms of stress relief. Marinette was six the first time he came into the bakery and the two just bonded instantly. He always said my baby was the granddaughter he never had.” He smiled at the memory before sighing. “He passed away in a gas explosion. Mari was there with him at the time.”

Damian was certain he could pinpoint the exact moment it had happened. He’d felt her panic, then her despair, and then came the numbness. It was as if she was completely devoid of feelings. Three days later they’d come back with a vengeance. The most prominent being a feeling of betrayal.

“It was three days after the explosion that her class turned on her.” All the adults looked at him with almost identical expressions of confusion. “That’s when her song changed so drastically that I knew I had to find her.” 

“Wait, you’ve been looking for our daughter?” Sabine’s question was directed at Bruce who shook his head.

“Damian has been, I haven’t. I didn’t even know he had a soulmate until today because someone never bothered to tell me.” Damian rolled his eyes and heard his Angel giggle from her mother’s arms. Tom and Sabine both just looked confused. They were the same age so Damian had to have shown signs of having a soulmate as a child. 

“I lived with my mother until I was ten. My Father didn’t even know I existed until that point.” He was trying to stop Marinette’s parents from glaring at his father. “My mother thought the bond was a distraction and forbid me from mentioning it. It just became a habit not to bring it up I guess.” Now they were both looking at him with pity written all over their faces. Maybe it would have been better to let them be angry at his father.

Suddenly his arms were full of his soulmate. She was hugging him tightly and her song was like a warm blanket being draped over him. He still had no clue what to do with his hands though and ended up settling them awkwardly on the small of her back. Rather than helping the adults just smiled fondly at him. His father, traitor that he was, actually pulled out his phone and took a picture. A minute later his phone buzzed in his pocket, signaling that the rest of his family had received the picture. 

“That really wasn’t necessary.” Damian’s tone was dry but held a bite to it.

“They’re all already going insane at the fact you even have a soulmate. I had to show proof.” Damian just glared at him. “Besides your brothers will be here tomorrow and this way they’ll get some of it out of their systems before they actually meet her.”

“Why?” There was so much more to that question but it was all he could get out through gritted teeth.

“First because Paris is more dangerous than we thought.” So his father had been learning about that situation here as well. “Second because I know you and you’re not leaving Paris while she’s here. That means someone has to stay here with you for the foreseeable future since you are still a minor. Since I don’t have the luxury of staying one of your brother’s will have to.”

“Drake then. He’s the least annoying and most useful.” Especially given the video and text messages to Marinette’s phone. His father just raised an eyebrow at him.

“We’ll discuss it once they get here. Right now it might be better to discuss what to do about Marinette’s situation. Preferably before the police arrive since they’re probably going to ask if you want to press charges.” Bruce held up her phone and Marinette looked like she’d been slapped.

“I don’t… I can’t… they didn’t mean anything by it.” Damian could tell the words came out as a reflex more than anything else. Even she didn’t believe them but she was still holding on to the way things used to be. He took her face in his hands gently and made her look at him.

“Angel.” Her parents actually awed at the nickname but he was focused on her. “You already agreed to let the doctor send the video and your medical chart to the police. They hurt you. They could have killed you with one well placed kick. I only saw some of those messages but not one of them was an apology for their actions. This isn’t just some nasty words anymore. They need to know what they did was wrong and you need to do whatever it takes for you to be safe. Please.” He had been the Prince of the Assassins League. He was Robin. He had never pleaded before in his life. He was pleading with her now.

She simply stared back at him. Her song was humming in her concentration but he couldn’t get a good read on her emotions. Damian knew she was looking for something in his eyes or his song and he had no idea what it was. Everything in him, all his training even, was screaming at him to just take her somewhere safe. To ignore what she wanted and just do what was necessary. Instead, he sat there and waited for her answer and he knew he’d abide by her decision. No matter how much he might disagree with it.

Then she smiled at him. It was relieved, joyous, and proud all at once matching the song that suddenly crescendoed in his head. He had absolutely no idea what it meant.

“Okay.” He just blinked at her in confusion.

“Okay what?”

“I’ll cooperate with the police and I’ll find a different school.” He felt a tightness leave his chest that he didn’t even realize was there. Without conscious thought he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Thank you.”


	9. Paris' Heroes

There’s complete silence for close to five minutes before Sabine stands up and walks slowly to the door.

“Maman?” Marinette’s tone was questioning but her song held an edge to it.

“I’m just going to call the school and tell them you won’t be returning.”

“Maman.”

“And set up an appointment to talk to your principal and teacher first thing in the morning.”

“Maman.”

“I promise I won’t yell. And I’m not saying anything until tomorrow about why we’re pulling you out.”

“Maman.” Every time the word came out of her mouth it was more and more exasperated. “Can you please wait until school is out? The principal will still be there and it’s less likely rumors will start flying immediately after you hang up.” She sounded tired, and not physically. Sabine was frowning but it looked to be at her own thoughts more than her daughter. 

“Alright, I’ll wait.” She went to the kitchen instead and grabbed more tea as well as snacks for all of them. 

“In the meantime, perhaps you could tell us more about your heros. I wasn’t even aware Paris had any before we got here.” There was an implied question in Bruce’s statement and Damian was happy he wasn’t the only one wondering how they didn’t know.

“We hear that a lot from tourists.” Tom sat back in thought. “I know the Mayor is doing his best to keep the media contained so it doesn’t affect tourism. “ Sabine rolled her eyes in obvious annoyance. “But to be honest I think either Hawkmoth or Ladybug’s powers are a big part of it.”

“What makes you think that?” The question came from Marinette. There was a sharp edge to her song. It almost seemed like panic. Her father didn’t seem to notice anything and shrugged.

“It just makes sense. The Mayor can only do so much and with the Ladyblog,” He practically spat the name. “As well as other online news sites it’s bound to get out. Yet somehow it’s been two years and no one outside Paris seems to have a clue. Sounds like magic to me.”

He was right, it made a lot more sense that magic was involved in keeping things quiet because no matter how adept the Mayor was at controlling the media there’s no way they wouldn’t have even heard about it.

“You said Hawkmoth or Ladybug. I get why Hawkmoth wouldn’t want interference but why would you think the hero’s would keep it quiet?” Bruce’s question was a good one but Damian was having trouble concentrating on the conversation. Marinette’s song was suddenly chaotic her emotions spiking and changing at lightning pace. What could possibly be going through her mind?

“If Ladybug is responsible I very much doubt she’s aware of it. What you have to understand is that our hero’s are very young. Probably Mari’s age if I had to guess, which means they were barely teenagers when this started. I don’t know how they ended up as heroes but, at the beginning especially, you could tell they weren’t completely sure what they were doing. Even now I’m not sure they know their full potential.”

Marinette was staring at her father in something like awe. Her song had calmed but he could tell she was still anxious.

“So you’re being protected by children, and everyone is just going along with it?” Bruce sounded offended at the very thought. It was Sabine who answered.

“There’s not anything we can do about it. None of us know more than basic information about them or their powers and they haven’t been forthcoming about them. All we know is that their powers come from their Miraculous and for all we know it may be necessary for them to be wielded by children. I doubt it, but at the same time the two Miraculous held by adults are being abused and used for evil purposes so anything is possible. Either way Ladybug has saved Paris hundreds of times at this point so we have faith in her.”

“And what about the other hero?” Sabine’s face twisted in distaste and Tom blew out an agitated breath. Marinette seemed surprised by her parents responses though Damian could tell she felt about the same.

“Chat Noir hasn’t been acting like a hero for some time now. Honestly I’d love to get my hands on that boy and knock some sense into him.” Sabine gave a derisive snort. “He claims that he’s staying away from fights to ensure Hawkmoth doesn’t get what he wants and Ladybug won’t contradict him. Whether out of loyalty or because she’s afraid of a public panic I don’t know. But not long before his sudden absences at Akuma attacks he and Ladybug were caught arguing. I could guess what about but I won’t.” She seemed to get more worked up the longer she talked.

“Maman, please calm down. Whatever is going on is between them. Us trying to figure it out or getting frustrated isn’t going to help.”

Tom leaned over and hugged his wife before responding to his daughter. “You may be right but his actions are making people lose faith in Ladybug and that is completely unacceptable.”

“Perhaps they should be losing faith in her. Two years later and we’re no closer to ending Hawkmoth’s reign of terror.” Her voice was small and all he could get out of her song was guilt and shame. Both her parents seemed to have been stunned speechless. “I just mean that maybe Bruce is right. Maybe we shouldn’t be leaving the safety of Paris in the hands of teenagers.”

The silence in the room was near deafening. Damian shared a look with his father but otherwise neither moved. Tom just looked taken aback by his daughter’s words. It was Sabine that worried him though. He had the distinct impression that she was barely holding herself back from shaking some sense into her daughter.

“Marinette.” She flinched at the sound of her mother’s voice and everything about her tensed up. “The adults in this case are a Mayor who’s more concerned about money flow and a Police department who flat out refused to work with Ladybug to try and find a solution. Do I think putting that responsibility in the hands of children was a good idea in the first place? Absolutely not. But it happened and Ladybug has been doing everything in her power to live up to everyone’s expectations. The least we can do is support her in anyway possible. She deserves nothing less.”

“Yes Maman.” Her emotions were a mess of contradictions Damian couldn’t make any sense of. Joy and gratitude mixed with guilt and depression. But under all of that was an overwhelming sense of doubt. It was like a steady thrumming bass line that held everything else in place. What made absolutely no sense to him was that he knew that doubt was aimed at herself. He knew that was important even if he couldn’t yet understand why.


	10. Agrestes and Akumas

Marinette stood abruptly, her emotions still in a jumble, but when everyone in the room focused on her she flushed and embarrassment overrode everything else

“I… uhh… bathroom.” She mumbled the words before heading for the hallway.

“Sweetheart?”

“Yes Maman?” She had basically frozen in place.

“You might want to grab some sweats or pajama bottoms from your room first. Trying to deal with the zipper and button on your jeans with one hand will be frustrating.” Damian felt relief spread through her song. Obviously she had been expecting something else.

“Of course. Thank you Maman.” She changed directions to a set of stairs leading to a trap door and disappeared through it. When she came back down, sweats in hand, she didn’t make eye contact with anyone before heading to the bathroom. Tom sighed.

“How did we miss this?”

“Because she’s always come to us when her problems get too big for her to handle and we just assumed she always would.” Sabine was staring at her mug as she answered her husband. “We were also trying to give her space since she seemed so lost after Fu died. I know she blames herself for not saving him. But I thought she’d come to us when she was ready. I didn’t take into account how much stress Hawkmoth is putting on the situation.”

“She was so scared that we would end up Akumatized that she felt it was better to suffer.” They shared a look. “We should have seen that coming. Our baby always puts others first and after what happened to get my mother Akumatized we should have known she would do anything to keep it from happening to us.” Tom’s voice broke on the last word. Bruce opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Tom frowned, glancing at the clock before walking over a looking through the peephole. His entire body stiffened and he turned back to the table. “It’s Adrien.” His voice rumbled softly, just barely enough to be heard but Sabine scowled and the door like she wanted the blood of whoever was on the other side.

“Who’s Adrien?” Tom blinked at Damian in shock at the question but it was Sabine who answered.

“Adrien’s the one who told you Marinette was overreacting.” Another knock sounded and she sighed in annoyance. “Damian would you go down the hall and wait for Marinette. Don’t let her come back out here until that boy is gone.”

Damian nodded and rose to do as she asked. He walked down the hall just enough that he couldn’t be seen from the door but close enough he could still hear. 

“Tom, it’s good to see you!” Damian shared a look with his father who was still at the table. This kid couldn’t be serious.

“Adrien. I’m sorry but Marinette isn’t here right now.” His voice was tense. “Shouldn’t you be in school?”

“I’m actually on the way to a photoshoot but I wanted to stop by and talk to you and Sabine about something first.” Damian was starting to think that calling him an idiot was actually a compliment. His Angel chose that moment to surface from the bathroom and looked confused at his presence. She opened her mouth but she motioned her to stay silent and beckoned her closer so she could hear as well.

“Really, what was it that you wanted to talk about?” The edge in Sabine’s voice was obvious but the boy still seemed not to sense anything wrong.

“Well it’s about Mari. Schools been getting really tense lately.” He saw hope on Marinette’s face for a moment before her expression fell with his next words. “And she’s really not helping at all. I was hoping you could talk to her about it?” The astonishment coming through Marinette’s song was understandable. His was even worse. Did this kid really think her parents were going to help him?

“What exactly seems to be the problem?” Sabine had to be gritting her teeth for her tone to be so strained. While they couldn’t see anything, Damian also had a feeling Tom was just standing there in shock. He hadn’t made a noise since greeting Adrien.

“Well there’s this girl that Mari doesn’t get along with. I’ve told her over and over to take the high road and not make a fuss but she keeps antagonizing her.” He sounded exasperated. “And just today she pretended to get hurt to get everyone to feel sorry for her. It’s getting out of hand.”

Damian had never wanted to murder someone so much in his life. It would be easy. No one would ever be able to trace it back to him, not with his training. A gentle hand touched his arm and Mari’s song thrummed peacefully in his head. She was trying to keep him calm while listening to her parents get closer and closer to full blown rage. Well Sabine anyway. There was no telling how Tom was handling things since they couldn’t see him.

“Why does Marinette have a problem with this girl? It doesn’t seem like her to just dislike someone for no reason.” Her tone held a sickly-sweet quality. The boy was about to walk into a trap and he didn’t even recognise it.

“She just likes to tell stories and exaggerate sometimes. But like I told Mari, her lies don’t hurt anyone so there’s no point calling her out on it. She’ll just get Akumatized over it. It’s best to just leave it be.”

“You’re certain no one’s getting hurt by the lies?”

“Oh yes. Everyone else loves Lila and once she gets enough attention I’m sure she’ll get better, but not if Mari keeps poking at her. I know she wants her friends attention back but Lila needs it more. She’s already been Akumatized five times,” Marinette muttered what sounded like ‘seven actually’ under her breath. “and I know Mari won’t ever have that problem. I’ve seen her turn away an Akuma myself.”

“What!?” Tom finally joined the conversation with the thought going through everyone else's mind. Marinette winced and he felt guilt once again. He also caught his father staring at her in shock.

“Well she was upset, over something little really, and an Akuma came for her but she just took a few deep breaths and it flew away. Everyone else in our class besides me has been Akumatized so right now it’s better if Mari is the only one upset. Of course if she would just do what I told her it wouldn’t be a problem in the first place.”

“Get out.” Damian was certain Sabine’s tone dropped the temperature in the room. He felt a chill and it wasn’t even aimed at him.

“But Sabine…”

“It’s Mrs. Cheng and Mr. Dupain to you and all those other little hoodlums in that class. Now get out and don’t come back. You can tell your friends that they’re not welcome either.”

“But Mari’s the problem! Everything would be fine if she just went along with Lila. Instead she just has to be difficult.”

“My daughter is trying to do the right thing by keeping a liar from influencing her friends and you just want to silence her because she’s making your life difficult!” Tom’s voice boomed through the home. “You were told to leave, so leave. I’m just glad we’re getting her out of that awful school so she doesn’t have to deal with your nonsense anymore.” The door slammed and Damian and Marinette peeked out from the hallway. 

Tom still had his hand on the door knob as if debating opening it so he could go after the boy and Damian was surprised there wasn’t a hole in the door with the way Sabine was glaring at it. Marinette rushed into the room.

“Maman, Papa, please calm down. It’s okay now. Like you said I’m out of that environment now.” Sabine’s glare transferred to her daughter and Mari actually took a step back when she saw it.

“How many times?” His Angel just looked confused at her mother’s words.

“I’m sorry?”

“How many times has an Akuma come after you?”

She paled drastically and began to fidget. She wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes again. “It’s really not that big a deal. I just calmed down and it wasn’t an issue.”

“How many?”

“Okay, you have to understand that the number sounds worse than it is. The week after Master Fu died, and everything else was just a really bad week for me so really all that should count as one.”

“Marinette.” She flinched and backed into the couch at her mother’s voice. “How many Akuma’s have come after you? How many times has that magical headcase tried to possess my daughter?” She shrunk in on herself again and Damian wanted to end this for her sake as he felt the guilt, despair, and fear bubble up i her song. But he also didn’t want to overstep again and honestly he wanted the answer to. She mumbled something none of them could catch. “What was that?” Marinette took a deep breath before meeting her mother’s gaze.

“Thirty four.”


	11. Explanations and Murderous Urges

Damian didn’t even know how to react to that number when her song was so calm about it so he had to look at everyone else’s reaction first. Tom just wilted. It would have been amusing under other circumstances, but now he just looked so defeated. He felt that he failed his child and it was obvious. Sabine was completely blank. He wasn’t sure if she was just processing or about to explode. He’d be willing to bet that if an Akuma flew in at that moment she would glare it into submission. Damian wondered if Hawkmoth could sense when someone’s negative emotions were aimed at him so he could avoid them. The longer her mother stayed silent the more panicked Marinette became.

“But like I said, eighteen of them were the week after Master Fu died so that should really only count as one. Of course Ladybug might disagree since she basically spent all week following me around to cleanse the Akumas but on the plus side no one else got Akumatized that week so while it wasn’t great for me at least Paris didn’t suffer right?” Damian was impressed. He’d never heard anyone talk that fast and still be understandable. He was however a little concerned that she didn’t seem to be stopping to breathe. “That’s actually an interesting idea. We could have one person who’s negative emotions are really strong and Ladybug could just shadow them rather than wonder when and where an Akuma will strike. Obviously it would be different people every week or so because no one should feel like that for long. Course Hawkmoth would probably figure out what was going on and just send them to less obvious targets.”

“Marinette.” Her mouth snapped shut but she began to fidget instead. At least she seemed to be breathing again. “When did this start?” Sabine’s voice was too calm and Damian felt goosebumps rising on his arms. Marinette seemed to be hovering inches from a panic attack and he tried to make his song more soothing. She shot him a grateful look before answering her mother.

“When Lila came back. She threatened to take all my friends and I got really upset. That whole day was just really bad to be honest.”

“Wait, wasn’t that over a year ago?” Marinette frowned in thought at Tom’s question.

“Closer to a year and a half I think.”

Sabine still had no expression. Damian thought she could make a killing as an interrogator. Hell, he was a trained assassin and was ready to spill his secrets to avoid whatever she was planning in her head. 

“So all this has been going on for a year and a half? The Akumas and the bullying?” Her voice was soft, almost calming unless you looked at her eyes. They were like fire and ice fused together to create one of the most terrifying things he’d ever seen. His body moved without conscious thought and he found himself between the woman and Marinette. Rationally he knew her rage wasn’t aimed at her daughter, however his need to protect his soulmate ran far deeper than logic could penetrate.

“Well, like I said, nothing like this has ever happened before. It’s always been mostly words.” She was trying to calm her mother but her words were having the opposite effect. On him too if he was being honest. She’d been suffering alone. He hadn’t even known about it until six months ago and he was in her head. There was no way her parents could have known.

“What’s done is done.” Bruce’s voice seemed to break the standoff and everyone’s eyes turned to him. Damian was impressed that his father barely flinched under Sabine’s stare. “No one can undo the past but we can create protections so nothing like this happens in the future. Pressing charges against everyone in the video is a good start.” Marinette looked like she wanted to argue but Tom jumped in before she could.

“He’s right sweetie. At the very least is will make them think about their actions and realize the damage they’ve done.” Damian shared a skeptical look with his father but he felt Marinette taking to the idea. Of course, his ridiculously kind soulmate with no self preservation instincts would be swayed by such an argument. He mentally rolled his eyes but jumped when he got a sharp jab in his ribs. 

Looking back at Marinette she looked exactly like the sweet angel he called her but her song was tinged with annoyance at him and amusement at his reaction to her poke. When had she gotten so close to him? He should have heard her move. She didn’t miss the appraising look he shot her way and he could tell because her song began to radiate innocence. Seriously how did she do that? Even now that he could hear his own he couldn't modify it anywhere close to her precision. 

“Fine, for now. But if I ever meet Hawkmoth face to face that man will regret the day he was conceived.” Sabine took a few deep breaths before continuing. “As for Lila Rossi, if that girl comes anywhere near me she won’t have time to regret anything.” Tom and Bruce shared a look and Tom just shrugged as if to say that was better than he expected.

Sabine finally took in the sight of her daughter not quite cowering behind her soulmate and her expression finally softened. She opened her arms and that was all it to for Marinette to run past Damian and fall into her mother’s embrace.

“From now on, I hope you’ll tell us what’s going on. Last I checked we were your parents, not the other way around.” Marinette chuckled at her dry tone.

“I’m really sorry Maman. I never thought things would turn out like this. I just wanted you both to be safe. I’ll try to do better.” Sabine seemed to take comfort in the answer as she gently rocked her daughter in her arms. Damian couldn’t help but wonder what she was actually apologizing for. She never answered her mother’s plea either. Was she going to start actually relying on them, or was she just going to get better at hiding it?

Damian supposed it didn’t matter either way. As long as he was here she’d never face anything alone again. 


	12. Hospitality and Bullies

Sabine glanced at the clock over her daughter's head before pulling back. “I’m going to go call your school now. You can look through your options on where to go instead over the next few days.” She placed a kiss on Marinette’s forehead before heading down to the bakery.

“We should probably head back to the hotel. I’ve got meetings in the morning and I’ve got to prepare for the boys arrival.” Bruce rose to take his leave but Damian just glared at him.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Damian.” There was a warning in his father’s tone. He absolutely didn’t care.

“No. I’m staying. This is not up for discussion.” Bruce sighed in annoyance before turning to Tom.

“What I’m sure he meant to say is that he would like your permission to stay here and hopes it won’t be inconvenient for you. I do understand if you would rather not have someone you just met take advantage of your hospitality.” If sarcasm was an Olympic sport, his family would hold all the metals but Damian felt his father was laying it on a bit thick. Should he have asked permission to stay? Maybe. He could feel Marinette's laughter through the bond and just became more annoyed. Tom just waved a hand in dismissal at Bruce’s concern.

“Of course he can stay. I’m not lucky enough to have a bond myself but I know that if Sabine was the one this happened to I wouldn’t leave her side for weeks. And given what did happen he’s about the only one I’d trust anywhere near my baby right now anyway.” He turned to them with mischief dancing in his eyes and Damian felt Marinette start to get embarrassed before he even started talking. “And since I know you’ll want to keep an eye on her you can sleep on the chaise in her room. So long as you both promise there will be no funny business.”

Damian about choked on air and he heard Marinette let out a whine behind him. If her song was anything to go by her face was completely red. He didn’t turn to look though. Instead he just stared at Tom, his mouth was opening and closing uselessly before he managed to let out and indignant, “Of course not!” Sabine choose that moment to walk back in the room.

“I’m pretty sure they couldn’t if they wanted to Tom, not with Mari’s injuries.” She sounded entirely too amused and one look at his father showed a matching expression. This was just as bad as the crap he was going to have to endure from his brothers. And they wondered why he never mentioned having a soulmate. 

“We just met today. I would never be presumptuous enough to even consider such a thing.” He couldn’t help the fact that his tone was haughty given how annoyed he was. He opened his mouth to say more but he felt Marinette take his hand and felt her song soothing him. 

“Maman, Papa, I don’t think Damian is used to your type of teasing.” While her song was calm her voice held a warning. “Honestly I’ve lived here my whole life and I’m still not used to it.” She looked to Sabine. “Did you set a meeting with the principal?” Sabine’s expression turned dark.

“I did. The man had the nerve to tell me he was thinking of calling me in anyway to discuss your behavioral issues.”

“My what?” She just looked confused but Damian could feel other emotions filter in and out of her song too quickly for him to get a handle on them.

“Apparently a number of students have come to him to express their concern about you bullying Lila Rossi.” Sabine’s dry tone didn’t hide the rage she was feeling. His Angel on the other hand, wilted beside him. Her song screamed sadness, pain, and betrayal. She still wasn’t angry at all, and that was beginning to frustrate him. Damian had never known someone with a better reason to fly into a rage and he couldn’t understand why she blamed herself for everything. 

“Oh, well I’m going with you.” Everyone opened their mouths to argue with her but she just kept going. “I need to get my things out of my locker while you talk to the principal and Damian will come with me. Right?”

“Of course.” Like there was anyway he’d let her near that school without him glued to her side. Her mother was still frowning but slowly nodded. Tom seemed to just go with it. Damian had a feeling he did that a lot. Bruce just nodded thoughtfully.

“It does make sense. Get in and out before the news hits to make sure you don’t run into anyone and also so they can’t tamper with your things.”

“If they haven’t already. Breaking into my locker has already become a routine occurrence. I haven’t kept anything really important at school for awhile now. Not since they destroyed one of my sketchbooks.”

“They did what?!” Damian actually took a step back and moved Marinette behind him on instinct as her parents yelled in tandem. He also wondered why a sketchbook would cause such a reaction and thought about how little they knew about each other. He needed to fix that, quickly.

“It was months ago and I didn’t have very much in it anyway. It really wasn’t that big a deal.” She tried to placate them but Damian could tell it wasn’t working. Sabine’s expression turned suddenly neutral and he took another step back.

“Bruce, why don’t we see you out? You did say you have to leave.” Bruce blinked at her but recovered quickly.

“Of course.”

“You kids stay here, we’ll be back to start dinner in a few minutes.”

As the adults filed out Damian and Marinette shared a look.

“Should we be worried about that?” Marinette just shrugged in response and leaned into him while they waited for her parents to come back. He could get used to that.


	13. Sleeping Arrangements

When her parents came back they seemed to be in a much better mood. It calmed Damian at first but the longer it went on the more anxious Marinette got. He noticed she kept shooting concerned glances their way as they cooked dinner and she actually jumped when her mother laughed at something her father said.

“Are you okay? You said they use humor to keep negative emotions away right?” She still had a hold of his hand but they had moved to the couch to sit. 

“It just seems like too big of a turn around given how upset Maman was especially. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Though on the plus side it looks like Hawkmoth is inactive for the moment so that’s something.” Her tenson was apparent in everything; her voice, her posture, her fidgeting, and her song. He wanted to distract her but had no real clue how to do it so he latched on to the first thing that came to mind.

“You mentioned a sketchbook.” Her posture became rigid, and his mind shouted ‘abort’ but his mouth had other plans. “What do you like to draw?” She relaxed almost instantly and he almost sighed in relief.

“I want to be a fashion designer so it’s mostly designs and ideas for clothes. Sometimes I do just sketch whatever comes to mind, but not as much as I used to. I actually design and make all of my own clothes now too.” Damian inspected her outfit, and he felt her start to tense again.

“The craftsmanship is certainly much better than store bought and while I don’t know much about design they certainly look wonderful on you.” That brought out a bright blush but her song was happy and content. The next thing he knew she was off talking about her designs, fashion in general, and what she would design that would work for him. Before he really understood what was happening she had run up to her room to get a sketchbook and measuring tape. As her parents were finishing up dinner she was taking his measurements, muttering to herself about different cuts and color palettes. He was still in a bit of a daze when her parents called them over to the table, but the joy coming through Marinette’s song was almost back to the way it used to be.

The dinner with her parents was actually nice. They seemed to be avoiding any topic that could lead back to the bullying at school. He found out that his soulmate designed for Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and a slew of other celebrities. He realised he’s actually heard of her too. 

“Well Drake is going to be fawning all over you when you meet him.” He sounded slightly exasperated and got a questioning look from the other three. “He’s been known to fangirl over Jagged Stone a lot. Given that Jagged has mentioned you in a number of interviews Tim definitely knows who you are. I’m pretty sure he once lamented the fact that he could never find your real name so that he could commission you for an outfit.”

She was blushing once again but her parents glowed with pride talking about her accomplishments. Sabine and Tom seemed ready to adopt Tim just because he praised their daughter. It wasn’t long before they’d cleaned up and Marinette’s parents needed to turn in for the night.

“Try not to stay up too long. Being late in the morning isn’t an option. I made the meeting early enough that we shouldn’t encounter your classmates and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Yes Maman. I promise to set multiple alarms too.” Sabine kissed her forehead before they headed off to bed. Marinette’s song suddenly had a nervous air to it and Damian was confused. “We should head up to my room and get ready for bed.”

Damian felt his face heat up as he realised why she was embarrassed. He hadn’t really considered the logistics of the sleeping arrangements when they were mentioned since he was more concerned about being able to stay in the first place. He wouldn’t go back on it because her father was right. Damian didn’t want his Angel out of his site. He wanted to be able to look over and see her if he happened to wake up to make sure she’s still alright. But...

“If you’re uncomfortable with me being in your room I can sleep on the couch.” His song was in blatant opposition to his words, but his sincerity still overpowered the rest. Damian hoped she could tell he wouldn’t push her no matter her decision.

“No, I want you with me.” She blushed and her song turned panicked. “I mean… in the me with room… no! In the room with me I mean.” She let out a whine, hiding her face in her hands. “I was doing so well with not being spaz too.” 

Damian tried to hold it in, he really did, but he couldn’t help the laugh that came out. Marinette glared at him from behind her fingers. He tried to sober his expression but his song didn’t change at all so she just glared harder causing him to burst out laughing again. 

“Keep it up and you will sleep on the couch.” There was no real bite to her words but he did manage to control himself. 

“Considering the amusement coming of you in waves earlier at my expense I think you can overlook this once.” He meant it to be a joke but her face fell and once again all he felt was guilt and concern.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I knew you were a little annoyed with me but I didn’t think you’d be that upset.” She was so earnest and now that he was looking deeper into her song he felt a tremor of fear again. She was still rambling but he was just trying to concentrate on what she felt. Why fear?

The realisation hit him hard enough to knock the wind out of him. She’d lost almost everyone in her life with the exception of her parents. She was afraid of losing him too. His anger started to resurface, which just caused her to panic more.

“Angel.” She stopped mid sentence and held her breath. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable, and even if you did I would tell you so. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” She took a ragged breath.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” She stared straight ahead at his chest when she answered.

“For everything. For worrying you so much you felt you had to find me when you’ve never wanted to before. For forcing you into this situation. For being a complete mess. You deserve better in a soulmate. I’m sorry you got stuck with me.”

By the end she had tears in her eyes. Damian didn’t know what to do so he gathered her in a gentle hug. Suddenly she was crying into his chest and he didn’t know what to do. His song definitely wasn’t helping but he couldn’t control it. Anger was predominant. Anger and all the people who’d hurt her, who made her feel like less than nothing. Anger at himself for never trying to find her sooner. He’d never thought it would affect her like this. Anger at all the people in her life who had failed her and brought them to this point.

He took some deep breaths and tried to calm himself. He had to say something because he couldn’t get his emotions in check enough to convey what he wanted. He just hoped he could find words that wouldn’t make things worse. He pulled back slightly before lifting her head to look in her eyes.

“Never apologize for being my soulmate. For the longest time your song in my head was the only good thing in my life. I never tried to find you because I wanted to protect you. I didn’t want to drag you into my life and my drama. You heard my song all those years, and I know it must have been bad. I didn’t want to ruin your happiness with my melancholy.” He took in her bruised face and felt his own guilt for once. “You didn’t force me into anything. I could have ignored your song changing. I’m here because I want to be and I should be the one apologizing.”

“For what?” She whispered his own question back at him.

“For being stubborn and not getting help to find you. If I had this wouldn’t have happened. I could have been here to protect you. For not being the person you deserve.” His thoughts started spiraling and his anger at himself rose once again.

“Damian?” He pulled himself back to reality and gave her a questioning look. “We’re a mess aren’t we?” She had a small, ironic smile on her face and he almost laughed again. 

“Yeah, we really are.”

She took his hand and led him up to the door to her room. When he entered the only word that filtered through his mind was ‘pink’. Seriously, he was fairly certain he’d never seen this much pink in his entire life. Marinette giggled at his response. 

“It’s my favorite color and I’ve seen far worse used on walls and other decor before.” Okay, he’d give her that one. It wasn’t bad per say, just a lot of pink. She wandered over to her closet and started rummaging through it as Damian entered all the way. “Here, these should fit you.” She pushed what appeared to be pajamas into his arms. Upon further inspection they were a dark navy blue with silver accents made to look like stars. 

“You made these?” He was impressed and it showed in his voice and song. She smiled at him.

“Yes. The stars are on them form all the constellations of the zodiac. When you move them around in the light you can see hidden threads that show the patterns.” He started shifting them under the light to see what she meant. A lighter silver color formed the lines between the stars of the constellation. 

“That’s incredible.” And it was. He’d never seen detail work like this before, and she just happened to have it lying around? “Did you make these for someone specific?” Her face fell a little.

“Yes and no. I had friends who were about your size and I made it with them in mind but…” She just shrugged as she trailed off. “I’d like to give them to you though, if you like them that is.”

“I’d be honored to receive such a gift. It’s obvious how much work and care you put into them. Thank you.” There it was. That bright happy sound in her song again and he was the reason for it.

“You can change in the bathroom downstairs while I change up here.” He just noticed she’d grabbed clothes for her to sleep in as well.

“Of course. I’ll knock before I come back up.” He was down the steps before she could respond and headed towards the bathroom. He changed quickly and took a moment to finally look at his phone. Then immediately wished he hadn’t. The family chat had exploded once Bruce sent the picture. His brothers and the girls making various comments along the line of ‘she’s so adorable’ and ‘there’s no way he was lucky enough to get her for a soulmate’. 

He was that lucky apparently, and now that he found her he was going to make sure she never regretted that he was her soulmate. He still couldn’t believe she thought he got the short end of the stick in their bond. As he walked back to her room he noticed the way the constellations came and went as he moved. She was extremely talented. Once he reached the trap door he knocked at waited. 

“Come in.” Her voice was slightly breathless and went he walked in he could tell she was in pain.

“What happened?” He was by her side in an instant checking for more injuries but she just smiled and waved him off.

“I’m okay. Just moving to get my other shirt over my head was really uncomfortable. We should get to sleep.” He looked at her bed in the loft and frowned.

“I think maybe you should take the chaise. I don’t like the idea of you climbing up there. I can sleep on the floor if you’re not comfortable with me being in your bed.” Her face turned bright red again and she sputtered a bit before answering.

“No, that’s fine. You’re right anyway. I shouldn’t be trying to climb when I can barely lift my arms enough to get my shirt off.” Damian watched as she tried to settle on the chaise to sleep. As she continued to change positions it became obvious that she couldn’t get comfortable. He watched for a minute more before he stopped her.

“Here sit up.” She did as he asked and he sat down beside her with his back against the wall. She looked confused until he spread his arms and gestured for her to lay against him.

“Damian no. That’s a ridiculously uncomfortable position for you to sleep in.” He just shrugged.

“I’ve been through worse, and you’re the one that really needs to rest so you can heal.” He gently tugged her toward him so that her injured hand was laying on his chest and her head on his shoulder. “Better?”

“Yes, thank you.” He could tell she felt a little embarrassed but her exhaustion quickly took over. Soon she was sleeping soundly against him and her song was the most at peace he’d heard it in six months.


	14. Brat Chat

Damian felt more at peace than he could ever remember. Physically he wasn’t comfortable at all; sitting against the wall on Marinette's chaise lounge while she used him for a pillow. But a little discomfort was a small price to pay for his Angel’s song to be happy again. They still had a long way to go but he’d take any progress toward healing that he could. Despite the position he was in Damian began to fall asleep until he heard a loud thud from above him. He tensed and the worry in his song cause Marinette to stir.

“Angel, there’s something on the roof.” He kept his volume as low as he could manage but she seemed to hear him. She lifted her head and stared at him in confusion. “Listen.” He pointed up. Just then they heard footsteps.

He expected worry or fear to come through the bond. Instead all that showed up was annoyance. She groaned and buried her head in his shoulder. Damian had no idea how to react to that so he didn’t move.

There was a tap at the skylight and Marinette’s annoyance increased but she didn’t move. A pause, then more tapping, louder this time. His Angel turned to glare at the skylight.

“Go away Chat.” Her voice was rough from sleep. Damian’s confusion must have finally registered with her because she shot him an apologetic look.

“Is that anyway to greet your knight in shining leather?” The voice sounded slightly putout but mostly smug. He hated it instantly.

“You’re not my anything Chat. Go away, I’m trying to go back to sleep.” Damian was about to add his own two cents when Marinette covered his mouth with her hand and mouthed, “I’ll explain once he’s gone.” There was nothing in her song to indicate deceit or anything else he should be concerned about so he nodded. 

“No can do Princess, we need to talk.” Damian felt her annoyance spike at the nickname and frustration was building as well.

“No we don’t. I need to sleep. Whatever lecture you have prepared or fit you want to throw about Ladybug can wait.” They heard him tug on the skylight but it was locked. Damian felt his temper rising. How dare he try to enter his Angel’s room after she repeatedly told him to leave. Who the hell was this ‘Chat’?

“Either let me in or I’ll let myself in. I’m not going to let you get away with this.” Damian’s anger was overridden by Marinette’s confusion. She didn’t reply, not that he gave her time to. “Cataclysm.” Her eyes widened and she jumped off the chaise.

“Chat don’t you dare!” But it was too late. Her skylight disintegrated as they watched and a boy clad in a black leather jumpsuit dropped into the room. There was still no fear as she faced him with her arms crossed over her chest. “Have you lost your mind? Even with the way you’ve been acting lately I never thought you’d stoop to this.”

“Come on Princess, just because you’re pouting and feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t mean you need to take it out on me. Besides, as soon as Ladybug casts her next Miraculous Cure the skylight will be back good as new.”  
  
“Great. In the meantime if it rains my room will flood. I’ve always wanted a swimming pool.” Sarcasm was not something Damian expected but it suited her somehow.

“Stop making a big deal over nothing. I know you have a way to contact Ladybug so I’m sure you can get her to fix it right away.” 

“So that’s supposed to make things okay? Chat, you used your powers to break into my room. Do you really not see the problem in this?” Wait… this idiot was one of the heroes she’d told him about? 

“Then you should have let me in. Or better yet not pulled this stupid power play for attention.” Damian wanted so badly to throttle this entitled Catwoman wannabe, but Marinette made a hand gesture behind her back telling him to calm down. The moron in leather hadn’t even noticed he was there yet. Some hero.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about but let me make something very clear to you. A person has the right to privacy and to decide who they let in their homes. You have no right to break into my home for any reason so get out.” Both her tone and song were like steel. It made him sit up straighter and it wasn’t even aimed at him.

“I’m not leaving until you agree to enroll back in school.” 

“How do you even know about that? You know what I don’t care. You have no say in my life or decisions. My parents and I are making decisions that are best for me and if you have a problem with that, too bad.”

“You can’t just abandon your friends Princess. If you would just stop antagonizing Lila everyone would like you again. Having your parents pull you out of school to get attention is just immature.” 

“Don’t call her that! And those friends put her in the hospital today you arrogant piece of trash!” Damian had jumped up and would have introduced Chat to the floor but Marinette got between them too quickly.

“Who the hell is he?” Chat’s ears actually lay back on his head and his tail lashed behind him. Damian wasn’t sure what to make of it but almost laughed when Chat actually hissed at him.

“He was invited and that’s all you need to know. And you’re daring to call me immature? After all the crap you pull. After sitting out on Akuma attacks because you can’t take no for an answer and throw a fit like a toddler? After you broke into my house because I did something you didn’t like?” Damian felt rage building with every word and it took him a minute to realize it wasn’t his. He honestly almost felt sorry for the Furry.

“I’ve explained why I’ve been staying away from Akuma fights.” He actually rolled his eyes. 

“Then what is the point of you even having a Miraculous if you’re just going to cower in the shadows while your partner does all the work?” Chat let out an angry hiss. Marinette just scoffed at him. “Don’t try that nonsense with me. I’m over your entitled tantrums and self involved idiocy. Now get out of my house!”

Chat started to reach for her and Damian finally lost his temper. Bad enough that he did it at all but given her injuries he could hurt her even worse. He stepped between them and shoved Chat away from his Angel.

“Touch her and you’ll learn what real pain is.” His voice was low and dangerous. Anyone with half a brain would take that warning seriously. So, obviously, Chat didn’t. Instead he puffed out his chest and tried to move around him.

“You can’t tell me not to touch my Princess. You just met her today but I’ve known her for years.” He felt his hackles rise. There was no way he should know that. He could feel Marinette’s wariness through the bond as well but all she showed was anger.

“Are you stalking me now Chat Noir? You seem to have a lot of information about me that you shouldn’t.” Chat kept trying to move around Damian but both her and Marinette just kept shifting away from him. Damian could almost feel his frustration building. “Keep this up and I will call Ladybug and ask her to drag you out of here.”

“As if she could. I’m more than a match for M’Lady.” Damian felt Marinette’s anger spike and put up an arm fearing she might actually try to go after him in her condition.

“I guess we’re about to find out if that’s true.” Damian’s confusion was mirrored on Chat’s face a moment before Marinette pulled open the trapdoor and practically dove through it. Chat tried to follow but Damian went for his legs and tackled him. There wasn’t much space but he managed to kick the door shut before wrestling Chat to the floor. Damian almost had him pinned when he was distracted by the bond. He suddenly felt Marinette above rather than below them. Chat pushed him off and jumped to his feet.

“Cataclysm!” Damian tried to back up, knowing what had happened to the skylight, but he wasn’t fast enough. He was surprised when Chat just scratched him instead. Apparently Chat was too judging by the look on his face. Then he heard a noise that reminded him of his grappling hook and chat was yanked away from him.

“Forgot you used your power already did you?” The cold fury in the voice coming through the skylight matched the song in his head. He watched as another hero dropped in holding the end of what looked like a yo-yo and just stared. When she met his gaze her look and the song softened. If that wasn’t enough for him to figure out she was his Angel, her blood filled iris and split lip would be. She looked at the cuts on his arm and her expression hardened once again. “Have you completely lost your mind Chat? There is absolutely no excuse for this!”

“Look I don’t know what Marinette cried to you about but I didn’t do anything wrong.” Seriously? How could this idiot not tell they were the same person when they had the exact same injuries? Before he could get further into that thought fury exploded in his head.

“So you didn’t use your powers to break in here after she denied you entry?” He tried to sputter out a defense but she just steamrolled over him. “And it wasn’t you I just stopped from attacking a civilian who was doing nothing but trying to protect his soulmate?”

“That’s ridiculous. Mari doesn’t have a soulmate, she just made that up for attention.” Before Ladybug could form a retort they all heard a beeping sound. Damian realized he’d heard it a few times since Chat had entered the room. “Well, I hate to cut this short but it looks like you have to let me go unless you want to compromise my identity.” He sounded smug and it took everything Damian had not to punch him in the face. 

“It doesn’t matter if I know who you are Chat.” He looked happy at that statement though Damian couldn’t figure out why. Her next word erased it though. “You have proven over and over again that you are not worth of a Miraculous. As of now I’m stripping you of your ring. You will no longer be Chat Noir, and will no longer be able to abuse your powers for selfish endeavors.” The longer she talked the more Chat struggled against the string holding him. Damian could feel Marinette’s pain through the bond as his pulling put pressure on her injuries. His soulmate was being hurt so he felt completely justified when he punched Chat in the nose, tripped him and held him down on the floor so he couldn’t struggle. 

“You can’t do this! I was chosen, we belong together!” Damian felt more than heard Ladybug sigh. She put her hand on Damian’s shoulder as he raised his hand to hit him again. Shaking her head she moved to where Chat could see her.

“I am the Guardian of the Miraculous.” Damian felt power in her words and even Chat flinched. “And I have judged you unworthy. Your opinions on our partnership are irrelevant. I’ve told you over and over again that I have a soulmate and even if I didn’t I wouldn’t want to be involved with you. Your failure to accept that or take my feelings into account in anyway are just one more reason you don’t deserve the power you were given.”

At that moment his transformation dropped. Damian cursed and he felt Marinette's song go from shock to resignation. Adrien Agrest was pinned below him and his need to beat the crap out of him only increased.

“I should have known.” Ladybug stood and took a deep breath. “Adrien Agrest, you’ve ceased to be a hero with or without the mask a long time ago. Honestly, this decision is long overdue.” She reached for his hand and he started struggling harder. Damian easily subdued him and pinned his arm for Ladybug. She gave him a grateful smile before taking a ring from the boys finger.

“Plagg.” Damian’s years of dealing with villains and other heroes was the only thing that kept him mouth from dropping open as a tiny black creature came out of the ring and flew in front of her face. “Do you agree with my decision?”

“Absolutely bug. He’s had more than enough chances from all of us.” The voice was cold showing no mercy. “He knows enough to be a problem in the future, do you want me to use Cataclysm on him?” Ladybug looked completely shocked at the idea, but Damian honestly was all for it.

“No.” She took a deep breath before continuing. “I will not resort to murder and given the fact that he’s only ever been interested in himself and we’ve been careful to keep information from him I don’t think he’ll be too big of a problem without a Miraculous.” Plagg looked disappointed.

“Fine but this is necessary.” Before she could get a word out the being flew into Adrien’s head. The boy immediately passed out and Plagg resurfaced a minute later.

“What did you do?”

“I wiped some of his memory. You may not think he knows enough to cause damage but we both know that he will be Akumatized over this. There are enough clues from today for Hawkmoth to figure out who you are.” She nodded slowly but frowned.

“How much did you erase?”

“Anywhere from five days to five weeks.”

“Plagg!”

“What?” He sounded offended. “It’s not an exact science and I needed to make sure all of today was gone. It’s bad enough that he’ll see that video again eventually.” She let out a sigh and ran her uninjured hand over her face. Damian suddenly saw how exhausted she looked.

“Damian, you can get off him now.” He started as he realized he was still pinning the unconscious former hero. He rose to stand in front of her.

“Angel…” She shook her head and put a hand on his chest.

“I don’t know how long he’s going to be out for and I need to get him home before he wakes. It won’t take more than twenty minutes and we’ll talk when I get back.”

“What about your injuries? Are you sure you can lift him by yourself?” She nodded and he just scowled at her. “Fine, but we’re not talking when you get back. You need sleep we can talk tomorrow.” Tears filled her eyes and he started to panic before she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you for caring about me. I promise everything will be alright.” As she bent to retrieve the boy on the floor, Damian noticed the little black creature staring at him with a considering look before he spoke to Ladybug.

“I’ll go with you and show you how to avoid the cameras.”

“Thanks Plagg.” She looked down at Damian’s arm and cursed. He had completely forgotten about the scratches. “Miraculous Ladybug.” He looked at her in confusion that turn to awe as everything in the room was fixed, including the skylight and his arm. “We’ll be right back.” She smiled at him as she jumped up through the skylight.

Damian was left alone in the room and now that he had time to process his brain basically stopped working. What the hell had just happened?


	15. Confusion and Kwami

Damian just stood there waiting on Marinette, or Ladybug, to come back. God he was confused. He knew he shouldn’t be. He was a hero after all and knew how secret identities worked but he still couldn’t wrap his brain around the fact that his Angel was just like him. 

His mind wandered back to the discussion they’d had earlier with her parents. Ladybug was being shut out by the police. According to Sabine they had refused to work with her. Her supposed partner hadn’t been showing up to fights and given what had happened tonight he also believed she was right about it being about an argument. Ladybug and Chat Noir had shown up when Marinette as thirteen.

His soulmate had been fighting since she was thirteen, as far as he knew untrained. His soulmate had been fighting by herself for at least the last six months. Her partner has been harassing her as a civilian and a hero for who knows how long. The adults who were responsible for the safety of Paris had not only left her to her own devices but had denied her help. To say he was livid was an understatement.

“Maybe it would be better if you didn’t stay in Paris.” Damian jumped and spun to see Ladybug behind him. He was impressed that she was able to sneak up on him. Then her words hit him and he swore he felt his heart stop.

“What?”

“I don’t want to have to fight you. Not to mention if you get Akumatized Hawkmoth will almost certainly find out you’re my soulmate which just puts you in even more danger.” Her voice was soft and the emotion he felt the strongest was concern. For him. 

“I can control my emotions normally. It’s just been a lot to take in. I’m not leaving you alone again.” He was offended at the very idea to be honest. 

“This wasn’t how I wanted you to find out.” He blinked in surprise.

“But you were planning on telling me?”

“Of course. It’s not like I could hide it with the bond, but more than that it puts you in danger. Tikki, spots off.” Damian watched as her suit melted off in a soft pink light and another creature, this one red, flew up to her face.

“Marinette why didn’t you heal yourself with the cure? Or at least stay transformed longer so that I can start to heal you.” She let out a tired sigh before answering.

“I can’t Tikki. The police are involved and if I’m suddenly healed it’ll make their claims that I’m overreacting or just trying to get them in trouble more believable.”

“Everyone knows that the Miraculous Cure heals.”

“Yes but there hasn’t been an Akuma since this morning. There’s no reason Ladybug would have cast the cure according to the police. Not to mention it could lead Hawkmoth to my identity and that would put a lot more than just me or even my family at risk. You should appreciate the fact that I’m trying to be careful.”

“Well if you weren’t the only holder and Adrien wasn’t a ticking time bomb I’d appreciate it more.”

Marinette ran her good hand through her hair and sighed again. She looked exhausted and not just physically. Her song held a weariness that seemed to thread through everything. Now that he noticed it he was pretty sure it had been there the entire day, maybe longer.

“Plagg, when is Gabriel coming back from Milan?” The black creature flew back into sight giving her a confused look.

“Six days. Adrien should be out cold for at least twenty four hours.”

“Then we have six days before he’s Akumatized, unless Gabriel comes back early.” The two floating creatures shared a look.

“Marinette you don’t have any proof that Gabriel Agrest is Hawkmoth.” Tikki sounded like she was explaining something to a child, something she’d explained numerous times before. 

“Maybe not enough to go after him but his schedule lines up almost exactly. Even if he’s not Hawkmoth whoever is, is going to great effort to match up with him so I feel safe saying we won’t have to worry about Adrien for the next few days.”

“You can’t know for certain though. You need to be ready.”

Damian could feel her frustration building and he glared at the floating creatures. “If you want her to be ready for anything she needs sleep, not a lecture.” All three of them turned to look at him. The little black cat like creature was returning his glare, the red one seemed to have forgotten he was even there, and his Angel just offered him a tired smile.

“It’s okay Damian. Tikki and Plagg are just trying to help. Tikki’s right to be concerned. If anything happens to me there’s a lot more than Paris at stake.” He could feel the weight of her words, the weight of the burden she carried. It wasn’t right. She shouldn’t have to deal with any of this and she definitely shouldn’t have to do it alone.

“It’s not okay. The amount of pressure and strain you’ve been under is not okay.” He put his hands on her shoulders to keep her facing him so he could look into her eyes. “I don’t know the entire situation but I do know you’ve been alone far too long. But from now on you aren’t alone anymore. If you can’t trust me with everything that’s fine, I understand better than you can imagine. I’m not asking you to confide in me, I’m just asking you to let me help you it whatever form you need. You’ve been slowly breaking apart for months and I’m not going to stand idly by while you shatter completely.” 

She didn’t answer him in words, he had a feeling she was too choked up to manage it. Instead she hugged him tightly and her song felt so grateful it almost brought him to tears. The two creatures were still just staring at him, though Tikki’s look had softened considerably.

“I’m getting Wayzz.” Plagg dove out of sight and returned a moment later with yet another creature, this one green. How many of these things were there? He felt Marinette giggle against his chest. “Look at him. He’s Pigtail’s soulmate and you know what that likely means.”

The green creature flew closer, looking Damian over carefully as well as Marinette before humming. “Yes I see what you mean. He’s definitely one of yours none of the other Kwami’s would be able to handle him.” Plagg nodded and Tikki looked thoughtful. 

“You want me to make him the new black cat holder?” Marinette’s voice sounded slightly panicked as she stared at them.

“If a true Ladybug holder has a soulmate, they’re almost always a good fit for the cat Miraculous. Given the air of chaos coming off Damian, I’d say he’s more than just a good fit.” 

“And none of you ever bother to mention this before now why?” He could feel her annoyance building once again. “Just once I’d like all the relevant information before it becomes critical.”

“There’s too much to learn for us to know when certain things might be useful.” The green one - Wayzz? - spoke slowly and carefully.

“You knew I had a soulmate and still didn’t say anything. Neither did Master Fu. I’m tired of being fed cherry picked information and floundering only for one of you to tell me later there was an easy answer to a problem. I get that there’s a lot of information. Master Fu trained me to be the next Guardian for five years and we barely scratched the surface, but I know when you’re holding back. I know the difference between you not telling me something because you didn’t think of it and purposely leaving things out because you think I’m not ready.” She let go of Damian to turn and glare at them properly. “It doesn’t matter if I’m ready anymore. I was given this responsibility regardless and the last thing I need is you lot making everything more complicated.”

“Well it’s about time. You tell ‘em bug.” Marinette blinked in surprise at Plaggs reaction while Tikki glared at him. “What? She’s right. You two are treating her like a kid still. When Fu died she became the Guardian. She can’t properly fulfill her duties while you keep babying her. For better or worse she’s all we have, and we can’t let her be unprepared. The results would be even more destruction then I appreciate.” 

“But she’s so young.” Wayzz sounded unsure of himself and the situation but Tikki sighed.

“She hasn’t been young since the first time she watched someone die and brought them back with the Miraculous cure. I’m sorry Marinette, we only wanted to protect you.”

Marinette’s expression softened. “I know Tikki and I do appreciate that but right now is not the time to be holding back. There’s too much at stake for me to be doing all this blind.” Tikki flew up and nuzzled her cheek. The other two followed, and Damian swore he heard a purr come from Plagg.

“I think the rest of this conversation can wait until you’ve slept.” Marinette looked like she was about to protest. “If you say there won’t be an Akuma right away I trust you, which means you can put this on hold until tomorrow. We have to be up early and I have a feeling it’s going to be another long day.”

“He’s right. You’ve got a lot to do tomorrow. Just promise me you’ll think about other holders? Even if it is just Damian.” Tikki’s voice was pleading and Damian saw how much she cared for his Angel.

“I will.” She looked at Damian with an amused smile. “And I can feel the questions trying to burst out of you that you don’t want to ask because you’re afraid it’ll be too pushy. I promise I’ll explain things more tomorrow.” He smiled and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Only what you want to or can share. I don’t want you to feel like you have to tell me anything.”

“I know, that’s why I want to tell you.” She took his hand and led him back over to the chaise where they resumed their former position from before her ex-partner showed up. “Are you sure you’re comfortable enough?”

“I’m fine Angel. Now sleep.” She muttered something about him being bossy but burrowed into his chest all the same. As he was drifting of himself he felt Plagg and Tikki settle on them as well. 

“You’re good for her. Thank you for coming to find her.” Tikki spoke from her spot on Marinette’s head.

“I’m just sorry I didn’t come sooner.” Tikki just hummed in answer and Damian finally drifted off to sleep.


	16. Alarms and Secrets

Damian woke as soon as Marinette’s first alarm started going off. It didn’t take him long to understand why she’d specifically said she would set multiple. If not for the fact that he could feel her breathing he would’ve sworn she was dead. No one should be able to sleep though that noise. Tikki just yawned, stretched, and laughed at his expression.

“Is she always like this?”

“Always. You don’t want to know how often she’s late or barely makes it to school on time.” She floated up until she was eye level with him. “You know her secret, are you going to tell her yours?” Damian stuttered in surprise.

“How did you know?”

“We’re basically gods kid, we’ve seen almost everything at this point and with the danger you seem to radiate, it wasn’t even difficult.” Plagg answered lazily from his position on Marinette’s shoulder.

“Yes I’m going to tell her. Just with everything that happened yesterday, I didn’t want to spring that on her too. Not to mention I should technically talk it over with my father first.” It wouldn’t change anything, especially now that he knew about her, but his father hadn’t had the chance to really consider what it meant for Damian to have a soulmate. Bruce had to know he’d want to tell her, but he probably wouldn’t expect it to be right away.

“Should? Does that mean you’re thinking of not talking to him?” Both Tikki and Plagg were staring at him fairly intently and he had no idea why.

“I’m going to talk to him, it just may be after I’ve told her. Events are moving quickly and as much as I’d like to give him time to adjust to my having a soulmate and what that means, I may not have that option. From everything you talked about last night it sounds like she needs a partner she can rely on. One that can fight by her side. She needs to know that I can be that if she wants me to be.”

Tikki let out a hum of approval while Plagg just continued to watch him. Marinette’s alarm chose that moment to start going off again and they all started at the sound his Angel however didn’t even stir. 

“What’s the best way to wake her?” Tikki’s expression turned into an evil smirk making Damian regret his question immediately. She dropped right next to Marinette’s ear and inhaled deeply.

“Marinette! Wake up you’re going to be late again!” His Angel jumped up, eyes still closed and made it a good five steps from the chaise before groaning in pain.

“Was that really necessary given her condition?” Damian was up by her side, hovering, as she sucked in a few sharp breaths. Tikki looked contrite and worried.

“I’m sorry Marinette I didn’t think about how the movement would affect you. I’m not used to you staying injured.” Damian watched her take some more slightly deeper breaths before she could answer.

“It’s okay Tikki.” Her voice shook a bit with strain. “We can’t afford to be late this morning and I’m definitely awake now.”

“How do you get away with doing that with your parents in the house? They didn’t seem to know you were one of Paris’ heroes.” Of course if they had known it would explain their staunch defence of the hero. 

“But the time Tikki has to resort to that tactic they’re usually down in the bakery so I can get away with saying I found an alarm that yells at me.” Her real alarm started going off again and she turned it off quickly before turning to Damian.

“When you go down to change could you ask Maman to come up here and help me get ready?” 

“Of course Angel.” Her song was filled with pain and even though he understood now why she didn’t want to take pain meds he hated that she felt that way. Underneath though he could feel her embarrassment rising. “It’s okay to ask for help when you need it. It doesn’t make you less, and no one can do everything on their own.” She let out a frustrated breath,

“I know I just hate feeling useless. I can’t even dress myself unaided right now. I’m used to being powerless in social situations at this point, but normally my body is the one thing I can control, but now even bit of comfort is gone.” The resignation and defeat in her tone and song seemed to create a void in him. It was then that he understood that he didn’t just need her song to be happy again. He needed her to fight, to take back control of her life, to choose her own happiness no matter the opposition. More than that, he needed to be the instrument of that change, no matter what that meant.


	17. Emotions and Liars

When Damian went downstairs, he found her mother in the kitchen. She looked like she’d been awake for quite awhile which made sense given the fact they ran a bakery. He could only wonder how Marinette hadn’t developed a better morning routine. 

“Good morning Mrs. Ch-” He cut off as she turned to raise an eyebrow at him. “Er… I mean Sabine.” Her expression immediately changed to a bright smile and Damian wondered if he could get whiplash from the shift.

“Good morning Damian. I see Marinette found something for you to sleep in.” He smiled down at the outfit.

“Yes, she’s incredibly talented. She actually asked me to see if you could help her get ready.” Sabine was around the counter and headed towards the trap door before he was finished but Damian lightly put a hand on her forearm as she past him. “I know you saw the video and got an idea of her injuries, but I guarantee seeing it will be different. She’s already embarrassed about asking for help so if you can not fuss too much over the bruising it might be best.” Sabine raised an eyebrow at him but he couldn’t place the look she gave him.

“You’ve seen her bruises?” Her tone was cold and Damian just cocked his head in confusion.

“The one’s on her arms, of course and they are worse this morning. But I know what bruised ribs tend to look like and it can be quite a shock.” 

“So you didn’t help her last night the way I’m going to this morning?” Damian’s eyes widened and he sputtered in shock once he finally understood why she was annoyed with him.

“Of course not! I changed in the bathroom, like I’m going to do now.” He held his clothes up as evidence as if that proved anything. “She changed in her room, end of story.” He decided to leave out the fact that she slept on top of him since he wasn’t sure how her parents would react to that information.

She just kept staring at him, making him feel more and more uncomfortable. All he could do was wonder how this woman could be so intimidating. Maybe it was his soulmate bond? He wanted her to like him because she was Marinette’s mother. The longer she looked at him he decided that no, that absolutely wasn’t it. The woman was just terrifying and he had no idea why. Luckily for him the trapdoor to Marinette’s room opened.

“Maman, leave Damian alone. I’ve only got one soulmate and I don’t need you scaring him off.” Sabine finally broke off her intense stare to laugh.

“If he can’t handle me he certainly doesn’t deserve you. Luckily he seems to be made of sterner stuff than most. Can’t say anyone’s ever held eye contact with that long without at least flinching.” Damian frowned at his soulmates mother. While he was glad she cared enough about Marinette to challenge him, he was annoyed she thought so little of him that she felt she had to do so.

“Maman, if you don’t come help me and let Damian get ready we’re going to be late.” Damian could feel her exasperation, acceptance, and fondness through the bond. She was also trying to sooth him again. Apparently this was a dynamic he’d have to get used to. The threat of being late did get Sabine into her daughter's room so that he could go change.

He finished long before they resurfaced and when Marinette came down the ladder he could see the strain on her face. Her song was calm, no hint of pain at all.

“How do you do that?” He’d had enough. She was his soulmate, she shouldn’t be able to hide things like that from him. It bothered him that she was effectively lying to him, and getting away with it. She just gave him a confused look and he let out a frustrated sigh. “You’re in pain. I can see it plainly, but I can’t hear it. How do you mask your emotions so well that I can’t hear what you’re actually feeling?”

His Angel just looked even more confused but he felt her concentrate on the bond. Once she did he could feel everything. The pain and exhaustion were forefront. Worry and fear of what was going to happen today came next. And it just kept going on and on. He felt like he was drowning in it all and suddenly it felt like he couldn’t breathe. He could feel the shift in her focus and suddenly everything was fine. He looked at her quizzical expression and a realization hit him.

“You’re doing it subconsciously. You’re so used to repressing things so you don’t attract Akuma’s that you don’t even notice it. You’re so used to trying to calm others that you do it to me with your song without even realizing it.” It was at that moment that he truly hated Hawkmoth. To this point everything had been abstract for Damian. He hadn’t seen first hand what an Akuma could do but this was real.

His soulmate, his other half, the person he was meant to be closest to and understand better than anyone, was hiding from him. Not intentionally, she wasn’t doing it to hurt him or because she didn’t trust him. She’d already proven that she did. No, she was hiding because some megalomaniac with a magic source decided to make an entire city afraid of themselves and their emotions. To destroy something so integral to the human spirit was beyond criminal. Damian wondered how long it would take after Hawkmoth was gone for Marinette to heal. For her to be able to share herself completely again. If she ever did at all.

“We should head over to the school.” Sabine’s words snapped him out of his thoughts but he just nodded and offered his arm to Marinette. All he felt through the bond as they left was worry and contrition. That only made him angrier. She was feeling sorry because Hawkmoth destroyed something precious and she felt guilty. When he got his hands on that terrorist they’d be lucky to find the pieces.

They walked to the school in silence. Damian realized that Sabine looked just as angry as he was. To be completely honest she looked like she was headed into a war-zone. He quickly realized that he wasn’t far off. 

There were a few kids in the courtyard even this early but it Marinette didn’t pay them any mind so he assumed he didn’t have to worry about them. He should have known better. They separated from Sabine once they entered the building. She went to the principal’s office and Damian followed his Angel to the locker room. He heard her sigh of relief once she opened it and raised an eyebrow at her. She blushed slightly before responding to his silent question.

“They obviously weren’t expecting me to come back this quickly, all my stuff is still here and undamaged.” Damian had to take a few deep breaths to calm himself. The fact that she was so surprised and pleased by that fact made him want to punch someone. Honestly he was pretty sure her song in his head was the only thing that kept him from doing so when the harpy and the liar walked in. 

They paused for a second when they caught sight of Marinette. The liar had a gleeful smirk on her face before she hid it with fake concern. Neither one of them caught sight of Damian yet as he was next to the row of lockers. 

“Oh no, what happened?” The liar’s voice was high pitched and insincere, it grated on his nerves worse that he imagined it could. “It was that boy that took you away yesterday wasn’t it?” Damian just rolled his eyes but didn’t have time to process the stupidity of that thought before the other one spoke up. 

“It’s not less than what she deserves after everything she’s put you through I don’t even know why you care about trash like her. You’re too good of a person Lila, it’s going to get you really hurt someday.”

Damian felt his Angels song shatter. He couldn’t see the look on her face but he didn’t need to. The hurt and betrayal was coming off her in waves. He didn’t even need the bond to tell what she felt. The harpy moved towards her, Damian didn’t know and didn’t care why, so he stepped forward so that they’d have to go through him to get to Marinette. 

“What are you doing here? You’re not even a student.” He just glared at them, refusing to dignify that question with a response. Behind him Marinette was stuffing all her things into her bag as quickly as she could manage. He caught another smirk from the liar as she stepped behind her friend.

“You’re not going to hurt us like you hurt Marinette are you?” He wanted nothing more than to wipe that expression off her face and when the harpy puffed out her chest like she had any chance of fighting him off he rolled his eyes.

“You’re the ones who hurt Marinette. There’s even a video to prove it. I would never do such a thing.” The harpy actually scoffed.

“Oh please we didn’t do anything she was just faking being hurt for attention. I didn’t even slap her that hard.” His Angel’s hand on his arm stopped him from lunging at the pair, but only just.

“Come on, they’re not worth it and they’ll get what they deserve soon enough.” She was right. He knew she was right. He still wanted to rip their throats out.

“Do you have everything?” She nodded and he took a deep breath. “Then we should go to the principal’s office and see how long your mother’s going to be.” She smiled at him, pride glowing in her song. He focused on that as he led her out of the locker room and to the principal’s office. He refused to pay attention to the words being hurled at their backs knowing that if he did nothing would stop him from taking matters into his own hands. 


	18. Negligence and Stupidity

As they neared the principal’s office Damian could hear shouting. Marinette gave him a panicked look before walking faster towards the door. They couldn’t hear words through the thick door but Damian was suddenly hoping that Marinette was correct about when the next Akuma was likely to be released. He really didn’t want her to have to fight at all in her condition, let alone against her own mother.

He got to the door first, practically throwing it open in his haste, and took a moment to assess the situation. Sabine was glaring bloody murder at the principal who seemed to not recognize the danger he was in. There was another woman sitting in front of the desk, Damian assumed it was Marinette’s teacher, who seemed to be trying to placate the irate mother. It definitely wasn’t working. His real surprise came when he noticed his father in the corner. When Marinette walked past him all eyes turned to her and he could feel her need to run away. He put a hand on her shoulder hoping it would help steady her.

“You both take a good look at my daughter and tell me again that’s she’s faking injuries!” They turned to do as she commanded, they might be dumb but Sabine’s voice demanded obedience and it was beyond them to challenge that. The principal looked a little shocked but that was all. The teacher… Damian felt his hackles rise as she shot his soulmate a disappointed look.

“Marinette,” She let out an annoyed sigh and Damian had one more person to his ever growing list of ‘accidental’ deaths. “I had hoped you would be better than this. If you had set a better example for your peers none of this would have happened.” He felt Marinette wilt in front of him and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to try and comfort her.

“How dare you.” The words were low and dangerous. Even the principal was now eyeing him warily, but the teacher simply gave him a condescending smile. If he’d been willing to let go of his soulmate he would’ve likely ripped out the woman’s throat.

“You don’t understand how things work here. Marinette has always set the tone for everyone else. If she had simply let things take their natural course and led by example everyone else would have fallen in line. Instead she chose to stir up trouble and this is the result.” Damian was certain Sabine was about to murder the woman when his father spoke.

“Are you seriously blaming the victim of bullying and aggravated assault for what happened?” She opened her mouth to reply but Bruce kept going in a frigid tone. This was the voice of Batman and everyone shut up and paid attention. “How many times has this happened?” The question was aimed at Marinette and she just shrugged. “Has she ever punished someone for bad behavior or does she pawn the blame off on you every time?”

“Punishing these kids is just going to get them Akumatized and put everyone in danger.” The teacher’s self preservations instincts had obviously failed her. Even the principal was looking at her in shock and a bit of panic. “It’s better to ignore it and instead reinforce good behavior.”

“These are children not dogs!” Sabine sounded so done. Her fury should have turned the woman to dust by now but she still sat there, self righteous and sure of herself. Damian honestly felt sick. He knew things were bad but he couldn’t believe Marinette had to deal with this woman’s delusions on top of everything else.

“Mme. Cheng is correct. While operant conditioning is effective in most animals, attempting to run a classroom of teenagers that way is idiotic. Mme. Bustier I hope you have a back up plan, or another career in mind because I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you don’t have a chance to hurt any other children the way you have Marinette.”

“Who exactly are you? I don’t even see how this concerns you.” She actually frowned at Bruce in disapproval. She was staring death in the face and was too stupid to realize it.

“I’m Bruce Wayne.” The words were cold, slow, and deliberate. Both the principal and teacher looked shocked. The principal looked like he was about to throw up and the teacher finally looked worried, though not nearly as much as she should. He felt Marinette’s confusion again. Honestly it was so cute that she still had no idea who they were.

“I’ll explain later.” Damian whispered the words in her ear so as not to draw attention from the others.

“As to why this concerns me, there’s a few reasons. First I’m a father and seeing this kind of negligence is beyond disturbing. Honestly Mme. Cheng and her husband would be in their rights to press charges against you both and the school for the damage her daughter has suffered. Second, I’m a human being and this behavior is beyond unacceptable and should be felt as an offence by everyone.” The teacher looked like she was going to try to argue again, but caught sight of Sabine’s face and quickly shut her mouth. “And third. Marinette happens to be my son’s soulmate. His soulmate that was so mistreated in your care that he had to search for her because he feared for her mental health and life.” 

The principal paled even further and Damian wasn’t sure how it was possible he hadn’t passed out yet. The teacher just kept opening and closing her mouth, but no sound would come out. He found it amusing but he looked over at Sabine and she seemed to be even more upset than before.

“I’m so sorry your son was affected by this. I’ll do everything in my power to straighten things out right away.” Damian hadn’t even processed the words before Sabine exploded.

“That’s all you have to say? You’re sorry that your incompetence and your staffs inconvenienced someone who’s rich? What about my daughter? What about the damage that woman has done to all those kids by refusing to be an authority figure and letting them police each other?” She rounded the desk to invade his personal space. “How dare you put yourself above the wellbeing of your students. How dare you turn a blind eye to the incompetence of your teachers. How dare you treat my daughter as nothing more than a problem you have to deal with.” 

The principal refused to meet her gaze during her tirade. Even the teacher quelled before the looks Sabine shot at her sporadically. But Sabine had obviously had enough. She hauled the principal out of his chair and dragged him around the desk. With her other hand she grabbed the teacher by the ear and forced them both to stand in front of Damian and Marinette.

“I want you both to take a good long look at my daughter’s face. The girl who has always been a ray of sunshine. The girl who has always cared for others before herself. The girl who is sleep deprived because she’s always trying to help or making presents for the people around her.” Both of them were looking at the floor and Sabine tightened her already painful grip. “I said look at her! Look at what you allowed to happen. At what you condoned with your inaction. My daughter who cares for everyone around her and neither of you could be bothered to care for her. And you,” She snarled at the teacher who tried to flinch away but Sabine never let go of her. “Not only did your negligence cause this, you’ve been mentally abusing my child and putting expectations on her which are not only unrealistic but unhealthy.”

Damian could feel Marinette’s confusion at the last part and saw how right Sabine was. She’d been programmed by this fraud of a teacher to believe that everything is her fault. That she is responsible not just for herself but for everyone around her. No wonder the most common feeling he got from her was guilt. How long had this been going on?

“If you don’t both resign over this you’ll feel the full wrath I’m capable of and don’t believe for a second that it will be less than Mr. Wayne’s just because I don’t have as much money. Between my connections and my daughter’s I can make sure you’re known everywhere you go and I will make your lives a living hell.” She finally let go of them and they both practically ran from the office. “Let’s go.” She grabbed an envelope off the desk, he assumed it was Marinette’s paperwork, and stormed out of the office. 

The rest of them followed. Damian was in awe of the woman, and glad he wasn’t the only person she terrified. Bruce was silent but his approval of her actions almost seemed to physically poor out of him. Marinette’s emotions were far too erratic for him to get a proper read on any of them. She was frowning at the sidewalk as they headed toward the bakery and he could almost see her thoughts spiraling. 

“Are you alright Angel?” She started at his voice but quickly nodded. “You can talk to me you know.” She blinked up at him but glanced away quickly.

“Do you think Maman was right? Was what Mme. Bustier did abuse?” He pulled her to a stop just before the bakery and waved his father on so they could talk alone.

“First, that woman has no business being around children, let alone being in charge of them. And yes, what she did was abusive. Not only did she leave you to fend for yourself she foisted her responsibilities on you with no care for the repercussions. For years the primary emotion I felt from you has been guilt. Now at least I understand why.” He gently lifted her chin so he could see her reaction to his words. “You are responsible for your own actions. That’s all. You can’t control other people and it was beyond irresponsible for the woman to blame everyone else’s behavior on you.” He saw tears well up in her eyes and heard gratitude in her song. He reached out and tucked some hair behind her ear before cupping her unbruised cheek. “Can you do something for me?” She just gave him a questioning look. “Try to be selfish for once.” She opened her mouth to argue with him but he put a finger to her lips to stop her.

“You’ve spent so long doing nothing but worry about everyone else. I realize that as a hero you have to put the safety of Paris above everything else. But when you’re Marinette, you are allowed to think of your happiness. You can make decisions about your life without consulting other people’s wants and needs. Just try for me please? At least once a day do something for no reason other than you want to.”

He couldn’t place the look in her eyes but her song got brighter, happier. She took his hand and threaded her fingers through his. “I’ll try.” Amusement took over her song and he could see it sparkle in her eyes for the first time since they’d met. “But you do realize it’s a bit counterproductive to ask me to be selfish for you right?” They stared at each other for a few seconds before they both burst out laughing.  
.  
“Maybe it is, but it’s all about baby steps so I’ll take what I can get. And I’ll use any tactic I can to bring the joy back to your song. You deserve to be happy and it’s my job to make you believe that.”


	19. Making Plans

Damian held the door for Marinette as they walked into the bakery. Bruce was talking to her parents but they stopped and Sabine shot them a bright smile. The mood change threw him.

“Well, now that we’re done with that unpleasantness, why don’t we all have breakfast?” He honestly couldn’t tell if the cheerfulness was forced or genuine. On the one hand she’d be happy to have Marinette out of that situation, on the other… Well let’s just say he was surprised no one had lost an appendage today.

“As much as I’d love to, I do have business to take care of and I should probably get it done before the boys get here at noon.” Damian almost groaned at the reminder of his brothers. “But I’m sure Damian will take you up on your hospitality.”

“Of course I’d love to stay if you’ll have me.” He wasn’t sure why he was being so polite. They all knew by this point that he’d be leaving Marinette’s side only if dead at this point. But he did want to make a good impression on his soulmate’s parents and hopefully keep their good opinion

“I’d like to invite you all to dinner at the hotel this evening if you’re free as well. That way you can meet my other sons and we call all get to know each other better.” While Damian wasn’t particularly fond of the idea, it was better for them to meet his family in public where they’d be slightly less likely to embarrass him. At least that’s what he told himself.

“Of course we’d love to! But will that give them enough time to settle in? We could do it another day to avoid the jet lag.” Tom’s words gave Damian a moment of hope that he could put this off, but his father destroyed it immediately.

“They’ll be fine. Is six a good time for you?” Damian tuned out the rest of the conversation as they planned the evening, not really caring beyond the fact that it had been decided. That inattention made him aware of the bundle of nerves that his soulmate had become. It wasn’t just in her song either, she was actually shaking. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Don’t worry my brothers will love you.” He paused before adding, “And if they don’t I’ll let Plagg use cataclysm on them. I have too many siblings anyway, one or two won’t be missed.” Marinette tried to keep a straight face but quickly dissolved into giggles. The adults looked over at them; Bruce frowning as if he knew what Damian had said, and he would likely have a guess that was close, and Marinette’s parents smiling at her fondly. He had a feeling they hadn’t seen her really happy in quite awhile.

“I’ll see you all tonight then.” Bruce smiled at the others and headed for the door.

“I’ll walk you out.” Damian realized he hadn’t had a chance to talk to his father since he found Marinette and there was a very specific question he needed to ask. He knew his father could see right through him but he really didn’t care. Damian waited until they got to the car before he spoke.

“I’m telling her.” It wasn’t a question or an option, simply a statement of fact. “Do you want me to keep everyone else’s identity confidential for now?” He asked even though he knew there was no point in lying. Besides, she needed their help and if he wanted to get her to trust them she would have to know who they all are.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Bruce held up a hand when he saw Damian’s furious expression. “I know she’s your soulmate but how do you know she will or even can keep your secret?”

“I trust her with my life and given that she’s hidden everything that’s been going on from her parents I feel comfortable that she can keep a secret.” The fact that she was a superhero was just a bonus. It meant that they understood each other and she needed that from him. She’d just lost her partner, the one person who knew what she was going through because he went through it too. He needed to tell her who he was so that she didn’t feel so alone.

Bruce sighed but didn’t answer right away. Instead he looked at Damian. He was looking for something though Damian had no clue what. He finally gave a nod.

“She’s your soulmate so I’ll trust your judgement. Just let me know what you decide so I can inform the others.” Damian just blinked at his father. He hadn’t expected him to cave at all, let alone so quickly.

“I’m going to tell her everything.” Bruce raised an eyebrow and Damian clarified. “Not right away obviously, I don’t have time, but I’m not keeping secrets from her. After everything she’s been through the last thing she needs is someone else lying to her.” Bruce nodded thoughtfully before he moved to get in the car.

“Just be careful. She’s obviously been targeted by this Hawkmoth character and if what we’ve been told in accurate, he could find out our identities if he takes her over. We don’t need that information in the hands of a man like that.”

“That’s why I’m here, to make sure things like that don’t happen.” Her mood had improved drastically since yesterday and he hoped that by the time an Akuma made an appearance she’d be coming out of the fog she’d been wrapped in. Damian watched his father drive away before heading back towards the bakery. By the time they left for dinner his Angel would know she wasn’t as alone as she thought.


	20. Freak-Outs and Fumbling

When Damian made it back into the bakery all three occupants smiled at him. He had to resist the urge to turn around and see who’d come in after him. He wasn’t used to people being welcoming let alone happy to see him. It was… strange and a bit unnerving.

“So what would you like for breakfast?” Damian shook himself back to reality at Sabine’s question. The last thing he wanted to do was have his soulmate’s family worried about his mental health.

“Anything is fine, I’m not picky.” He had no clue where those words came from but decided quickly that it didn’t matter if it wasn’t exactly the truth. They ran a bakery so he was sure whatever they made would be at least decent. He caught Marinette side eyeing him but chose to ignore it. Tom and Sabine shared a look and he had a feeling Marinette wasn’t the only one who didn’t believe him.

“Well then, why don’t you two just pick whatever you want from the bakery and head upstairs? We’ll be down here if you need anything but I have a feeling you two would like some time to get to know each other better.”

Damian just blinked at her for a moment. If this was his family not only would they not get any privacy, they’d be getting interrogated. Maybe Bruce would just let him stay here rather than have one of his brothers move over here with them. Marinette’s parents seemed responsible and Bruce already seemed to like them. It was worth asking at the very least to keep Marinette as far from his brothers as possible.

Before he knew it they were back in Marinette’s room eating things they really shouldn’t have for breakfast. It was silent, and not the good kind. He could tell his Angel was nervous, but he didn’t even know where to start at this point.

“So… I guess you probably have questions.” Her voice was hesitant and unsure. It was almost as if she expected him to start yelling at her. She was bracing for a blow. Fury tore through him once again at the damage that had been done to her but he pushed it down fearing she’d think he was mad at her.

“Well yes, but I actually had some things I wanted to tell you first, if that’s alright?” Surprise and a bit of relief made her song sound lighter. She really was just expecting him to interrogate her now that there was time. He winced when he thought of how he’d reacted when he thought she was hiding her emotions from him on purpose. Others may have conditioned her to react poorly to being questioned but he certainly hadn’t helped.

“Of course, if you want. I’d love to learn more about you.” She hesitated. “Like why you seemed so surprised when I didn’t react to your last name and why my principal looked like he was going to faint when he heard it.” She really had no idea. And here he thought she just didn’t care.

“Have you heard of Wayne Enterprises?” She cocked her head to the side and frowned in thought. It was honestly the cutest thing he’d ever seen despite the bruising. He could tell the moment she put the dots together.

“Oh my god, he’s that Bruce Wayne?” He could feel her panic start up but before he could try to calm her she was up and pacing. “It was bad enough I had an anxiety attack in front of him and caused so many problems when he was just your father, but he’s also the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. He must think I’m such a spaz. He’s probably wishing your soulmate was anyone else.”

“He’s thinking no such thing.” Damian got up to place his hands on her shoulders to hold her in place. “I’m sure he thinks you’re far more than I deserve and he wouldn’t be wrong. Given the situation you’ve handled everything better than anyone could expect.” HIs words didn’t seem to soothe her at all. He concentrated on her song to see if there was a way for him to calm her and froze at what he found.

He was obviously getting better at understanding her song and looking deeper to find the things she had buried. On the top was anxiety, worry, and mortification. The next layer held things like sadness, doubt, and a bit of hope. The deepest layer he could hear was what caused his reaction. When he heard it, he knew exactly what it was. He’d spent most of his life with some version of it himself but he’d never expected to hear it in her song. But there, at the bottom of everything, was self-loathing. 

He started thinking about everything that had happened since yesterday. He realized that she constantly put herself down even as she raised others up. He thought about the conversation with her parents where she said they should be losing faith in Ladybug, in her, because she hadn’t been able to get rid of a terrorist with absolutely no help. She had the world on her shoulders and she felt like she was constantly letting everyone down. 

“Marinette.” She blinked up at him and he knew that words were meaningless at this point. She wasn’t going to believe him if he told her she deserved far more than even he could give her. He’d have to show her what she was worth and that would take time. Now he needed a different topic to keep her from spiraling. “You’re not the only one who moonlights as a superhero.”

“What!?” Okay, so maybe that wasn’t the best way to approach the subject. He heard snickering from near her bed and knew Plagg and Tikki were highly amused. At least someone was enjoying this.


	21. Heroes and Honesty

Damian cleared his throat and attempted to recover. “Have you ever heard of the heroes in Gotham? Batman and Robin and such?” She just blinked at him, still a little stunned.

“Of course, pretty much everyone’s at least heard of them at this point.” She frowned at him. “Are you saying you know them in person? That’s why you were so calm about all this last night.” Plagg and Tikki broke out into full on laughter and Damian just glared at the spot the noise was coming from.

“Not exactly no.” She just looked even more confused. “I’m saying I’m one of them.” Her song stopped. It wasn’t gone exactly but all he got was a hum, sort of like white noise but not exactly. He immediately started to panic. Could he have shocked her enough to break the bond? Was that even possible? He’d never heard of anything besides death breaking a bond. He started to take comfort in the hum, knowing that it meant they were still connected even as he worried about what he’d done to cause such a reaction.

“You’re a hero.” She said the words deliberately, as if she was testing them for something.

“Yes? I mean technically we’re vigilantes but most think we’re heroes.” The longer he heard the hum and had no read on her emotions the more worried he got. Could he have caused a mental break of some kind? She didn’t seem different.

“You fight villains, without any powers of your own.” Her eyes widened slightly. “You were in a coma or something like that for over a year. Your song was wrong, muted, barely there at all.” Damian didn’t have a response for that. He’d actually been dead but he was certain saying so would make this whole thing even worse. But… he had been dead, shouldn’t that have severed the bond? Or at least completely stopped his song? It was a mystery to be left until later.

“I’m here now Angel, it’s okay.” Her song finally came back. He was only relieved for a second thought because the amount of fury coming out of her honestly made him wonder if he should be making a run for it.

“It’s not okay! You’re constantly in danger and you don’t even have magic to protect you. Does your father know about this? He can’t be okay with you risking your life constantly.” Damian opened and closed his mouth a few times but nothing came out. 

“Well, about that…” The glare she sent him was enough like her mother that he had to suppress a shiver. “Bruce is Batman?” He had no idea why he made that a question. All he knew was that he really wanted her to stop looking at him like that. Those words sent her back into her panic from earlier. 

“So not only did I make a fool of myself in front of my soulmate’s father and CEO of Wayne Enterprises, but Batman as well? What’s he going to think if he finds out I’m Ladybug? I’ll be such a huge disappointment.” She had tears in her eyes and he didn’t know what to do. This is why he started this conversation in the first place, to get her mind off of what she saw as her flaws. How had they ended up back here?

“Angel I promise you that’s not true. I’ve seen Red Hood run head first into a wall more than once. Even if you were a terrible hero, and you’re not I could tell that just from the way you handled that menace of a cat, you would still be an improvement over what we deal with on a daily basis.” 

He was flailing. He wasn’t used to the feeling and he didn’t like it. At all. He had to find a way to fix this. He was so focused on his own thoughts he completely missed her song changing until he heard a small giggle. He just started down at her in shock, and that seemed to burst the flood gate as she laughed for a moment. He had a feeling it would have lasted a lot longer if not for her ribs. She winced in pain but continued to let out small giggles.

“Okay?” He was so confused. Human interaction wasn’t one of his strong points, but her complete turn around was completely out of his limited knowledge.

“I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m always the one freaking out and you’re just this calm presence in my head. Now my freaking out is freaking you out and I didn’t know you had it in you.” He just glared down at her. It was a look that had sent the most hardened criminals running. She just kept giggling before reaching up to poke him in the cheek. “Stop pouting, you made me feel better, which is what you were aiming for right?”

“I suppose, though I was hoping not to do it at my expense.” He tried to hold a stoic expression, he really did, but with her looking at him with that sparkle of amusement in both her eyes and song he didn’t last long. He felt his lips tug upwards in a small smile against his will and watched her smile widen.

“See? I knew you could do it. So if Bruce is Batman, I’d guess you’re Robin?” He nodded and she frowned up at him, wrinkling her nose in an adorable fashion. “I’m designing you a new suit. Yours might be slightly better than some of the Gotham Villains I’ve been unfortunate enough to see but it’s still an eyesore. Batman’s isn’t bad, it may be one color but at least that means it doesn’t clash.” 

She walked away from him still muttering about their complete lack of fashion sense before pulling out her sketchbook and making some notes. He watched her fall into hyper-focus almost instantly. He peeked over her shoulder but most of what she was doing was notes at the moment and he didn’t speak designer.

“How necessary is it that your colors stay the same? No offense but having that many primaries together is a bit jarring.” She didn’t even look at him still too focused on her thoughts.

“Given your suit I really don’t think you should be judging me, but design whatever you want and I’ll give it a look.” His tone was a bit huffy. His suit wasn’t that bad.

“Well originally I didn’t even know that Tikki could take my preferences into account. I’ve been working on a redesign for a while actually, but with everything that’s been going on…” Crap, crap, and double crap. He’d managed to make her sad, again. It shouldn’t be possible for him to be so bad at this.

“I’m sure it’ll look great Angel, and I’m sure whatever you design for me will be stunning as well. Just make sure you make adjustments for the kevlar.” She frowned at him. Great now what had he done?

“I didn’t think about that. My suit protects me from just about anything. Your’s needs special materials not to mention accessories.” She started muttering to herself again and he could really make any of it out.

“Can you tell me more about your suit and your powers? If you want to talk about it.” She’d offered earlier but sounded hesitant. The last thing he wanted was to make her even more uncomfortable. She put her pen down and turned to face him with a small hum. 

“That could take awhile because I’ll have to start at the beginning, but we don’t really have anything we need to do before meeting your family for dinner so we have time.” She seemed to consider for a moment to try and get her thoughts in order. “Tikki, Plagg could you both come out here please?” They both emerged, Tikki flying to one of Marinette’s shoulders but Plagg just floated there with his arms crossed.

“That depends on if anyone is planning on feeding me today. I haven’t had any cheese since last night.”

“Plagg!” Tikki sounded offended but Marinette just gave an amused smile.

“I promise when we go to get lunch I’ll bring you something. I don’t think we have camembert but we definitely have some brie.” He seemed to think about it for a minute before he nodded and took a seat on Marinette’s other shoulder. Tikki huffed and let out an exasperated ‘Honestly!’ but they both settled.

“Tikki and Plagg are Kwamis. Specifically the Kwamis of Creation and Destruction respectively. Kwamis are the embodiment of specific concepts, and sometimes emotions. Tikki and Plagg are the oldest, originating before the universe as we know it, and the strongest.” He was sure his skepticism showed on his face, and definitely in his song but he just nodded. Honestly given everything else was this really so far fetched at this point? “There are many other Kwamis, some bound to Miraculous and many of the newer ones not.”

“What exactly are Miraculous? You’ve mentioned them a couple times and I believe that’s what you called Chat Noir’s ring.” She nodded.

“Yes, the Black Cat Miraculous is a ring,” She pulled a string around her neck to show that’s where she was keeping it and then brushed her hair aside so he could see her ear. “And the Ladybug Miraculous is my earrings, though technically they can take other forms if their holders need them to. As to what they are, well they basically tether the Kwamis to this plane of existence, allowing their holders to use their powers to a lesser extent. They could also be looked at as imprisonment but I’ve been assured many times that it was agreed to.” He could tell that she was unhappy with the thought and so could the Kwamis.

“Don’t worry Pigtails we knew what we were signing up for. Granted we didn’t take into account bad or evil holders but it’s worked out for the most part.” Plagg’s words just made Marinette frown more and Tikki glared at him.

“Imprisonment? Does that just mean they’re stuck here or also bound to their holders will?” Marinette sighed and nodded.

“They can technically act on their own unless specifically commanded not to and they can’t remove themselves from their holder.”

“Yeah, otherwise I would’ve ditched that kid a year ago.” Plagg’s muttered words were heavy with anger. “And I told Fu that I don’t know how many times. He never should have let things get this bad.”

“It was at least partly my fault. I kept hoping he’d change and he did, just not for the better.” She sounded so sad, as if she blamed herself for his ruin.

“It’s not your fault!” All three of the others spoke in tandem, the words echoing in the room. Plagg was the one to continue.

“Fu was the Guardian. It was his responsibility to choose holders and make sure they remained worthy. If he let you influence his decision rather than looking closer at the situation himself that was his mistake, not yours. You know as well as we do the time crunch he was under to find a Black Cat holder. He made the wrong choice then and made the wrong choice when he allowed him to keep it. You did an amazing job of making up for it. So amazing that the only one who got hurt by it was you.”


	22. Talking about the Past

There was silence as Marinette thought about Plagg’s words. She wanted to argue, Damian could tell. In the end though, she couldn’t and he could hear how much it hurt her. “Master Fu did his best.” Her words were soft and unsure. Tikki took pity on her.

“We know Mari, but he did make mistakes and you’re the one who paid for them. We don’t mean to put him down.” She glared at Plagg when he looked like he was about to argue. “But as the new Guardian you have to be aware of those mistakes so you can avoid them in the future.” Marinette just nodded.

“Your parents said you met Master Fu when you were six?” Damian wanted to try and help her focus on good memories, even if it took them off topic. She smiled brightly at him. 

“Yes, he would always bring me special paper, pens, and pencils. He would show me beautiful places in Paris that I’d never seen before to help inspire me.” Her song picked up even though it held a wistful note.

“When did he decide to tell you about the Miraculous?” Her smile faltered and she sighed.

“I was eight when he first mentioned them to me, but he’d been subtly slipping in Guardian training almost the entire time he knew me. He could tell I’d be a good match for Tikki and he was getting old. He told me that there would be no better Guardian than a true creation soul. He never explained it though. It was something I always thought I’d be able to ask later.”

Plagg cuddled into her neck and started purring as her expression fell once again. Damian knew they had to have this discussion but at the same time he just wanted to see her happy again. He’d gotten a few glimpses here and there but never for very long. The entire point of him finding her had been to get her song to where it used to be, or at least close, but it seemed like he was doing as much harm as good. It was extremely frustrating. Marinette’s hand on his cheek brought him out of his thoughts.

“It’s not your fault any of this happened, and you being here has made the past day the best I’ve had in at least six months even with everything that’s happened.” He frowned at her and could hear the disbelief in his own song but she just giggled at him. “I mean it. I think I’d forgotten what it was like to have someone really stand up for me as Marinette. There are plenty of people out there who still support Ladybug but they only see a hero. I haven’t had anyone there for the real me in a long time.”

Damian heard her sincerity in her voice and song, saw it in her eyes, and instead of making him angry, for once it just made his heart ache for her. This girl who put her life on the line on a daily basis had no one to advocate for her. He didn’t know what possessed him to do it and would later count himself lucky they were in private rather than with his family when he did, but he turned his head a kissed her palm.

“I will always stand up for you, always support you, and I’ll never leave you alone again.” Her breath hitched and he turned back to her. Her eyes had tears in them again but her song held nothing but joy and laughter. All Damian could think was, ‘finally I did the right thing’. She leaned forward to hug him, burying her face in his chest.

“Thank you. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t saved me yesterday.” He got the feeling she wasn’t just talking about pulling her classmates off of her and one look at Tikki confirmed it for him. It was obvious how worried she was for Marinette.

“I’m just glad I could return the favor.” She pulled away and looked up at him in confusion. “I told you that I lived with my mother until I was ten. What I didn’t tell you was what that life was like.”

“She didn’t like your soulmate bond, you made that pretty clear.” Damian nodded but hesitated. She was fine with him being a hero, but this was something else entirely. What if it was too much? How was he supposed to keep her safe if she ended up hating him?

“Hey, I can hear your thoughts spiraling. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” 

“My grandfather was the leader of the League of Assassins. I was being trained to take his place. Your song was really the only thing that kept me grounded during that time.” He stared at the wall waiting for her questions and accusations. Have you ever killed anyone? How am I supposed to feel safe around you? Why is my soulmate a monster? He braced himself for the worst but it never came.

“That must have been awful.” That was it. She hugged him tighter and he felt her worry in her song. Worry for him when he would have expected it to be for her own safety. He was starting to wonder if she really didn’t have self preservation instincts. He should have just let it go at that but he couldn’t.

“Really? You find out your soulmate is a trained killer and that’s all you’ve got to say about it?” She pulled back to smile at him which didn’t help his confusion at all.

“Do you remember what you said to me after I thanked you for not being mad at me over my song changing?” He nodded hesitantly, not sure where she was going with this. She just grinned at him and tapped the middle of his forehead. “Well, I hear the real you, just like you hear the real me. I know who you are and the rest doesn’t matter.” 


	23. Gifts and Measurements

Damian just stared at Marinette for a solid twenty minutes. Her throwing his own words back at him was weird enough but the fact that she didn’t seem intimidated by him, at all, after what he’d just shared was down right bizarre.

“Oh, before I forget, do you happen to have access to your Father’s and brother’s measurements?” Damian felt like he was in a fog and couldn’t even process that question.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Their measurements. I thought that since I don’t have too much to do today and I’m not allowed to do heaving lifting I could make or alter something I already have for them as gifts.” If Damian could have seen the way his expression softened at her thoughtfulness he wouldn’t have recognised himself.

“You don’t have to do that Angel. Besides you should be resting.”

“I want to do it and I like making things. It helps me relax.” He was going to argue further but Tikki spoke up first.

“As she said, Marinette has a true creation soul. It will stress her out more if you keep her from making things. Plus, sewing isn’t physical enough to cause more harm.” He still looked skeptical but pulled his phone from his pocket to text Alfred. And was almost immediately sent and email attachment with everyone's measurements. Including his and all the girls. He showed it to Marinette and she gave him a questioning look.

“Alfred is our butler but really he’s just another part of the family. I knew he’d have all this though.”

“So Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Tim. Who are the others?”

“Those would be my not sisters.” Damian’s wry tone drew another confused look from Marinette.

“And what exactly are not sisters?” She sounded amused.

“They stay at the manor more often than not and may as well be adopted legally into the family but aren’t. So they may as well be my sisters but they’re not.” He could tell it sounded slightly convoluted as he said it but he didn’t know of a simpler way to explain it. Marinette seemed to follow him though and just nodded before looking back to the document Alfred sent. She was humming in thought but then frowned before looking up at him in shock.

“This is a list of Gotham’s heroes.” Damian just stared at her dumbly. His eyes kept flicking from her to the phone in his hand trying to figure out what just happened.

“How?” He couldn’t even form a proper question. He could tell she was smart but this seemed a little much.

“Well you told me that Bruce was Batman and you’re Robin.” She stopped and looked at him so he just nodded for her to go on. “And the number of people and genders on this list matches up with the heroes.” That couldn’t be it. He did not accidentally out his entire family simply because his soulmate could count. He raised an eyebrow at her and she developed a mischievous look on her face. “And this last column here is sizing adjustments for Kevlar.”

Damian cursed in Arabic as he sent a message to Alfred. The man did not make those kinds of mistakes normally, and he had to start now? That thought made Damian pause though. Alfred didn’t make mistakes like that. Ever. Which meant he did it on purpose. That was confirmed with a short text saying Alfred was glad his soulmate was observant. Damian swore he felt a migraine coming on.

“Don’t worry, I’m good at keeping secrets.” Marinette was smiling at him but her face soon grew concerned. “Are you really that upset? I didn’t mean to figure it out, but I figured you’d want to know I had. It feels like lying otherwise.” Damian shook himself out of his stupor.

“I’m not upset that you found out. I’m rather shocked that Alfred is the one who gave you the clues but that’s neither here nor there. I’m upset…” He frowned not sure if he should continue but decided it was best to let her know what was going through his head. “You said you’re good at keeping secrets and it just reminded me of all the things you’ve had to keep bottled up. Secrets that have isolated you and made you miserable.” She sighed and there was a contrite note in her song.

“And some were secrets that I didn’t have to keep. I’ve just gotten so used to being Ladybug and having to keep everyone safe I didn’t really consider that I don’t have to keep everything to myself. I really am sorry that I worried you so much.” 

“You don’t have to apologize to me. You made what you thought were the best decisions. What’s more you made them because you were trying to protect others. I can’t fault you for that. I just hope that you’ll be able to continue to trust me so that you don’t have to go through anything alone anymore.”

She just smiled at him but he could hear so much more in her song. Happiness, gratitude, and a lightness that wasn’t there before. The thought that he eased some of her burdens created a sense of pride he’d only felt after taking out the worst villains. 

She took his phone to study the numbers and hummed occasionally as she thought. After a few minutes she sighed. “I don’t think I have any clothing in the works that would transfer well. Do your brother’s wear belts often?” Damian blinked at her for a moment. Was he supposed to notice things like that? As heroes they’d all had utility best bet he was almost certain that wasn’t what she was asking.

“Um, sure I guess?” She actually rolled her eyes at him before she opened his text conversation with Alfred and asked him after introducing herself. She also asked for their favorite colors. Alfred suggested she theme them after Gotham’s heroes and ask Damian which each would prefer. So he ended up telling her who was who. But in the end she decided that might be too obvious a sign for them to wear everyday. Instead she asked about their hobbies and decided to draw inspiration from that.

After that the morning went by quickly. Marinette got the materials she needed for the belts as well as for a tie for Bruce and went to work. She was having a hard time finding a comfortable position to work in and they once again ended up on the chaise with Damian acting like a pillow. As interesting as it was to watch her create, he soon found himself dozing off. 


	24. The Not Sisters

Damian woke up when he heard the trap door to Marinette’s room open and saw Sabine poke her head in. She smiled when she saw the two of them and quickly pulled out her phone to snap a picture.

“Maman!” 

“Hush sweetheart this is a perfect picture to send to your Nonna. I just wanted to see if you two wanted lunch.” He felt more than heard Marinette grumbling in front of him before she looked at the time on his phone.

“Sure Maman. We’ll be down shortly.” Her mother closed the trap door as she left and Marinette let out a bothered sigh. “Sorry about that, my parents can be a bit invasive.” Damian honestly struggled not to laugh. If she thought that was invasive she was in for a huge shock with his family.

“It’s alright. My Father did it first anyway.” They stood up and he watched Marinette wince as she stretched. He’d like to think it was just sore muscles from sitting so long but he knew better. He concentrated on her song and finally was able to find a few muted chords that spoke to her pain. It was like listening underwater though.

“You’re worrying about me again.” He blinked and realized she was looking up at him. “I’m really fine I promise. All the injuries are superficial.” He snorted in disbelief. Her definition of superficial was a little skewed, but he supposed his was too.

“I just don’t like that you have to push everything down. I don’t like that it feels like you’re hiding from me, even though I know you’re not doing it on purpose.” He did know. That didn’t stop him from feeling hurt. Rather than respond she led him downstairs to the kitchen where Sabine put a plate in front of each before setting out a tray with an assortment of bread, meat, and cheese.

“So what have you two been up to all morning?” She sounded amused and Damian wondered if this was some sort of trap. He was only used to that tone when one of his siblings was about to prank him.

“Talking. And sleeping apparently.” His voice was a little curt which got a raised eyebrow from Sabine. Marinette just put her hand over his and completely ignored the tension. 

“I’ve been working on presents for Damian’s family. I didn’t have any actual clothing that would work so I settled on accessories.” Sabine and Marinette talked about her presents and other projects for the rest of the meal. Damian knew she was purposely keeping the focus off of him and felt grateful. Sabine occasionally glanced his way but was content to let her daughter take the lead. 

The two headed back up to Marinette’s room after. Her to work on the presents and him because he went where she did. He also didn’t want to have to face her mother after being rude. He was surprised when Marinette hugged him as soon as the trapdoor closed.

“What’s this for?” He could tell she was trying to comfort him but he didn’t understand why.

“Because you need it. I’m sorry if Maman upset you with her teasing. Neither of my parents are subtle and they can be a bit much when you’re not used to it.” Her voice was slightly muffled by his chest.

“No I’m sorry for overreacting. I’m just used to teasing being followed up by something embarrassing at best and down right awful at worst. My siblings tend to take things too far.”

“No we don’t you just don’t have a sense of humor!”

“Yeah! Wait is Demon Spawn actually letting someone hug him without clawing their eyes out? I thought the picture Bruce sent was photoshopped.” 

“Will you two knock it off!”

Damian let out a frustrated groan before looking at Marinette’s computer. In it were his not sisters. To say he was pissed was an understatement.

“Did you seriously hack into my soulmate’s computer?” His tone was cold and deadly. It had no effect whatsoever.

“Take a chill pill Baby Bird. We just wanted to see her. If Babs had left it on mute like we told her we wouldn’t have disturbed you two at all.” Cass’s statement didn’t help his mood at all.

“I’m not going to just invade their privacy with no warning like that.” Damian couldn’t help but snort in derision.

“If that were true, you would have called or texted me first and asked to speak to us. Not hack into a computer so you could use the webcam without permission.”

“Well duh, you would have said no if we’d asked first.” He watched as Steph and Babs both glared at Cass. He could feel a migraine developing. He also felt Marinette’s embarrassment and curiosity. She was still hugging him and hiding in his chest. He let out a long suffering sigh.

“Marinette, would you like to meet some of my overbearing, obnoxious siblings now or would you prefer I cover the webcam so they can’t bother you?” He heard protests from the computer and just rolled his eyes.

“Oh come on little D. The boys get to meet her in person it’s only fair that we get to meet her too.” Steph’s comment caused a flash of anger even though it really shouldn’t have.

“You have no right to demand her attention or put her in an awkward situation like this in her own home no less. You’ve invaded her privacy for no good reason and now you just expect me to roll over and let you force the issue?” He realized too late that he was projecting his anger for Marinette’s former partner on them but honestly they had crossed a line. His Angel shouldn’t have to feel this kind of invasive presence in her own home no matter who it was from. All three of them looked at Damian like he’d grown a second head.

“It’s okay Damian. They didn’t mean any harm.” Her voice was small and her song unsteady. He could practically feel her trying to pull herself together. He glared at the computer screen when he spoke. 

“It’s not okay. This is the second time in as many days that your privacy has been invaded and I’m ashamed that this time it’s people who are supposed to be my family, people I’m supposed to trust, that are responsible.” The stricken looks on their faces almost made him feel sorry. Almost. In the end though he needed them to take this seriously and know that it wasn’t okay. 

“We’re sorry.” Babs was the first to speak and glared at Cass when she looked about to interrupt. “You’re right. We should have just called and left it at that. Marinette, I’d like to apologize to you as well. I should have thought this out more. We were just really excited when Alfred told us you’d figured out who we were and wanted to meet you. Not that that excuses our behavior.” The last bit came out due to yet another glare on Damian’s part. Marinette turned in Damian’s arms.

“Hello. I’m Marinette it’s very nice to meet you.” 

Neither of them expected the reaction she got. Damian had somewhat gotten used to his soulmate’s bruises and Marinette had been purposely avoiding mirrors all day. It also seemed that the girls in the Batfam hadn’t gotten the memo that Marinette was assaulted. They were all yelling and overall making so much noise that none of it was understandable. Marinette was shrinking back against him away from the computer. He could feel her guilt ramp up once again.

“Enough!” He didn’t shout but it was close. On the plus side it did get them to stop.

“Damian how could you let that happen?” 

“Way to jump to conclusions Cass.” Babs turned her cam so that only she was visible earning annoyed noises from the others. “Sweetheart, what happened?” Her voice was low and soothing and Damian was reminded why she was his favorite. He could feel Marinette calm slightly but she didn’t answer.

“She was assaulted yesterday by her former classmates.” 

“Damian saved me.” Her voice was small. “Overall I think I’ve been rather troublesome as a soulmate. Especially for making him worry.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t think that.” Babs shot him a glare as if expecting him to contradict her but he just rolled his eyes. “Trust me, if he has a problem with you you’ll know it. The boy is anything but subtle.” Damian wanted to be upset with that comment but he automatically softened when he heard his Angel giggle.

“I’ve noticed. It doesn’t mean I don’t feel bad about it though.” The conversation progressed from there. Babs introduced herself and the others were allowed back on the cam to do the same. He watched as Marinette charmed his sisters just as easily as she had him and his father. After an hour he finally broke into the conversation.

“Angel, it’s getting late if you want to finish your projects before we go to dinner.” He was not dumb enough to mention that his brothers were getting presents in front of the girls. If he did they’d be stuck there all night. Marinette rushed to apologize for having to cut the conversation short, but they all seemed to take it with surprisingly good grace. They only signed off after making Damian swear he would give Marinette all their phone numbers when she got a new phone. 


	25. The Brothers

Damian could feel the nervous energy coming off Marinette without needing to listen to her song. As they and her parents neared the front of the hotel he honestly was afraid she was going to start hyperventilating, pass out, or both. She turned to him before they could enter.

“What if they don’t like them?” He’d watched his soulmate spend all day making gifts for his family. Ignoring the quality for a moment, just the time and energy she put into them should be enough to make those saps love them and her. But she was also a professional designer, no matter what she thought. Those gifts should be in high end fashion stores. 

“If any of them give you anything but glowing praise I will personally throw them off the Eiffel Tower.” That wasn’t an idle threat either. Behind them he heard her parents snickering in amusement, but Marinette just gave him a worried frown.

“I’m serious. I usually design and make things for people I know pretty well, what if I got this wrong and they don’t like them?” He barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. One look at her, especially in her battered condition, and his brother’s would be tripping over themselves to put her at ease. And do everything imaginable to embarrass him but that was beside the point.

“If that happened, and it won’t, then I gave you bad information and you can put the blame on me where it belongs. I promise you that won’t happen though. They’re going to love what you made them, I swear.” Honestly he thought Dick might actually cry. It seemed like something he’d do. 

“But…”

“No buts. They’ll love the gifts and they’ll love you. If not I’ll be short a few siblings. Not a great loss to be honest.”

“Damian! You shouldn’t say things like that.” She was trying to pin him with a glare but he could hear a thread of amusement in her song. Better yet, her anxiety calmed down. He just held out his arm and raised an eyebrow at her, waiting. She caved and he was finally leading her and her parents into the lobby where they were met with excited squeals from his brothers. Could they be any more embarrassing? Damian seriously considered turning around and heading back to the bakery. Unfortunately his father stepped in to prevent his escape.

“Tom, Sabine I’m so glad you could make it tonight.” Damian watched as his brothers openly gaped at Toms size.

“Of course, thank you for inviting us. I take it these are your other boys?” He watched Sabine give his brothers an appraising look and was almost relieved when he watched them stiffen up and try to look like they weren’t the lunatics he knew them to be. Maybe they would actually behave and act like grownups for once. That hope lasted all of five seconds.

“Yes, this is Dick, Jason, and Tim.” Bruce pointed to each in turn and they all gave polite nods. “Boys, I’d like you to meet Tom, Sabine, and Marinette.” Damian instinctively took a step in front of his Angel to make sure his brothers didn’t overwhelm her or try to hug her and he was glad he did. Dick was the first to crack.

“Oh my God, she’s so smol!” He let out a girlish squeal and Damian could only roll his eyes in annoyance. He noted the looks Tim and Jason shared behind their oldest brother’s back. If he’d had any doubt Bruce had told them what was going on and what had happened yesterday he certainly didn’t now. They all fawned over Marinette but were careful not to touch her or mention her injuries. 

She was still worried though and kept looking at him. It was like she was trying to make sure he was still there even though they both knew he wouldn’t leave her side. He couldn’t account for her unease until he realized it had more to do with where they were. He wasn’t sure if it was this specific location or just being outside her home. He tried to recall if her song had sounded the same at the school that morning but couldn’t honestly remember.

It didn’t matter though. All that mattered was making her feel comfortable again. With that in mind he stepped closer to her taking her uninjured hand in his and lacing their fingers together. He felt the hitch and change in her song immediately as she relaxed against his side. The action wasn’t lost on his family. Before they could go into yet another round of teasing he decided to distract them.

“Marinette made you all gifts, which you don’t deserve, but if you want them I suggest you stop acting like children.” He could tell Marinette was surprised by his tone and demeanor. He acted so differently around her that it made sense. But he couldn’t be what he was with her with everyone else.

“Marinette, you didn’t have to do that. Your presence is more than enough of a gift.” Marinette gave a self-conscious giggle at Bruce’s words. Damian could tell she thought he was just being polite. 

“I enjoy making things.” She was fidgeting with the bag in her arms and Damian took it from her so she could get to the contents. She pulled out Tim’s first. His belt was embroidered with coffee beans, mugs, and other assorted accessories. 

“Oh my gosh, this is amazing! You really made this?” Marinette just nodded happily at his enthusiasm before pulling out Jason’s present. His she had burned the designs into it giving it a rugged appearance. The belt was covered with various weapons, mostly guns since Damian had assured her that those were his favorites. She was a little hesitant at first but Jason’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw it.

“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! I don’t think I’ve ever had anything with this much detail before.” He was examining each weapon and Damian could tell he was impressed with her accurate portrayal. Dick was now bouncing on his toes waiting for his turn. Honestly he was the oldest and sometimes Damian wondered if he’d ever mature. When Marinette handed him his belt he was already praising it before he even got a good look at it.

“This is fantastic Marinette… oh wow are those acrobats!?” He looked closer at the belt. “How did you get the poses so accurate?” His soulmate blushed at all the compliments and seemed to flustered to speak. Happiness flooded her song though and Damian found himself thinking that maybe his brothers weren’t a complete loss. She hesitated before pulling out the tie she’d made for Bruce, but when she handed it to him he just smiled gently and looked it over.

“Is that writing?” At first glance it was just a black tie but his Angel had taken inspiration from the pajamas she’d given him. Rather than constellations, when the tie reflected the light properly it held the names of all his children adopted, real, or otherwise. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Thank you.” Damian was surprised at the softness in his father’s tone.

“I’m glad you all like them. I was really worried.” They all rushed to assure her how much they liked their gifts. That led to his brothers fighting over who liked their gift the most and he was back to wishing they’d just crawl into a hole somewhere. When Damian looked at his father he saw a glint in the man’s eye that made his instinct to duck and cover kick into overdrive.

“I think Tim wins for liking the gift the most since he finally has his own MDC original.” The boys all looked at him confused. Suddenly Tim gasped and started searching for something on the belt. When his eyes landed on Marinette’s signature he let out the most god awful fangirl scream Damian had ever heard.

“You’re MDC?!”


	26. Unexpected Rescue

“Tim what the actual f-” Bruce cleared his throat loudly causing Jason to stop and glance a Marinette. Was he actually blushing? 

“Seriously though Tim I know you’re excited but we’d all like to keep our eardrums intact. I’m sure the other guests would agree.” Bruce’s tone was dry but you could see the amusement in his eyes.

“And what are you even so excited about? Who’s MDC?” The look on Tim’s face at Dick words was hilarious. It was a mixture of haughtiness and appalled shock that had both Dick and Jason eyeing him like he’d lost his mind.

“You call yourself a Jagged Stone fan and you don’t know who MDC is? That’s sad Dick even for you.” 

“Hey!”

“Jagged Stone has referenced MDC in fifty-four interviews. He calls her his honorary niece and says she’s the only designer to ever get his style and the only one he trusts. She originally designed some accessories, including his famous glasses and a couple album covers but she’s been doing his tour outfits for at least a year now. You can tell by the uptick in both design and quality. What’s more she’s designed for other artists as well but the only way she’ll work with them is if someone she knows vouches for them first.”

Dick and Jason looked more and more shocked as Tim’s rant continued. Damian could feel Marinette’s embarrassment but under that were a few chords of pleasure, satisfaction, and gratitude. The last one annoyed him. It meant that there weren’t nearly enough people telling her how amazing her work was on a regular basis. He felt even more justified in his earlier opinion to his father that Tim would be the most useful of his brothers. Even if he was annoying and extremely loud when excited. 

“Are you Mlle Dupain-Cheng?” Damian turned to see two bored looking police officers coming towards him. Both their expressions and tone put him on edge. His brothers all stiffened and stood shoulder to shoulder staring at them. Sabine narrowed her eyes at the one who spoke while Tom causally cracked his knuckles. Bruce’s expression was unreadable. The fact that they all had the same sense from these men gave Damian a strong sense of foreboding.

“Yes I am.” His soulmate’s voice was timid and that made him even more annoyed. How dare they?

“Mlle we’re here based on a report sent to us by a Dr.” He paused to look through his notebook. “Dr. Belot.” Marinette just nodded at him but didn’t say anything. Damian expected questions relating to the incident but the other officer piped up in a condescending voice.

“Mlle, you do realize it’s a crime to report false information and waste the valuable time we could be spending helping people who actually need it.” They were all far too stunned to react. False information? And just what the hell were they even trying to imply? Marinette wasn’t the one who reported anything. She hadn’t even tried to file charges against anyone yet. Before any of them could get their bearings or explode in righteous fury, another voice came from directly behind them.

“Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!” 

Damian felt Marinette tense up even more beside him and her confusion switched to panic in a heartbeat. Looking behind him Damian spotted the source of the voice. The girl seemed to be the same age as them. He didn’t think she was one of her classmates, at least he hadn’t seen her the day before. She was about the same height as him, blonde, and glaring daggers at the officers in front of them. He noticed Tom and Sabine’s wariness of the newcomer and made sure to keep himself between the girl and his soulmate.

The girl stormed up to the officers, flipping her hair and crossing her arms as she stared them down. Her body language screamed out that she was rich and used to getting her way. She looked at the two in front of her with a mix of disgust and haughty disdain. Damian was honestly a little impressed.

“Are you suggesting officer that this girl lied about her name?” She addressed the one that had been talking about false information and he just looked confused. “Because that’s the only thing she’s told you so far yet here you are treating her like some sort of deviant.” The other officer gave a sigh.

“Mlle Bourgeois, this does not concern you and you don’t have all the information we do. We need to question Mlle Dupain-Cheng so if you would...” He would have continued but the girl in front of him lit up in fury.

“I have more than enough information! I read the report and I saw the video. Now you’re here trying to bully the victim into not pressing charges and I can guess why.” She stepped even closer into the man’s space forcing him to back away. “But here’s what’s going to happen. You two are going to leave and I’m going to call my Daddy about finding someone who will actually do their jobs to protect all the citizens of Paris and not just the daughters of other officers. M. Dupain and Mme. Cheng are going to call to set up an appointment for their daughter to talk to the police with them and a lawyer present, since she obviously needs one.” The officers looked shell-shocked and Marinette’s song was back to that steady hum. When one of them tried to open their mouths to protest she just pointed towards the door. “Out now!”

As Damian watched the men scuttle out of the hotel he had to admit he was impressed. Whoever this girl was, she was a force to be reckoned with. She also seemed to be on their side which won her some points with him and his family if the looks his father and brothers sent her was any indication. Tom and Sabine were looking at the girl like she’d grown a second head.

The girl turned around and as soon as she set sights on Marinette her entire demeanor changed. She was fidgeting and wouldn’t look her in the eyes. He couldn’t tell if she was nervous, embarrassed, or both. Marinette’s song came back slowly as she watched her. Confusion was the main melody for a minute but faded to understanding. A soft smile slowly developed on her face and she stepped away from him for the first time since entering the hotel. 

“Hey Chloe.” 


	27. Old Enemy, New Friend

“Dupain-Cheng.” The girl still looked extremely uncomfortable. To Damian it looked like she wanted to run but her pride wouldn’t let her. She absolutely refused to look Marinette in the eyes and he was curious and confused about the dynamic between the two. Looking at her parents, they seemed just as confused.

“How have you been?” Marinette’s voice was soft, almost as if she was trying to calm a cornered animal and was trying to keep it from bolting or attacking. Looking at the girls posture it seemed pretty accurate.

“Better than you obviously.” The girl winced as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She took a deep breath but looked at a loss on how to continue. Marinette just giggled which seemed to surprise her parents.

“Yeah, that’s certainly true. How’s the new school?” The girl stiffened up even more if that were possible and finally looked at his soulmate. Whatever she saw there broke the dam.

“I’m so sorry for leaving you there on your own. Everyone already hated me, with good reason, and I knew it was only a matter of time before they all turned on me once Sabrina got sucked into that liars web. So I left because I didn’t want to deal with it. Even if I had exposed her nothing would have gotten better for me. Plus I was trying to change but with everyone expecting me to be who I was I just couldn’t.” She had tears in her eyes but stubbornly refused to let them fall. “But I never thought they would turn on you of all people. If anyone should have been safe it should have been you.”

“Chloe, it’s okay. You had to do what was best for you. I get it. You weren’t and aren’t responsible for what happened.” 

“See! That, that right there is why this makes no sense.” She was livid and showing it by aggressively gesturing at Marinette. “You’re standing here comforting someone who bullied you for years with no hint of insincerity and those morons think you would bully someone else? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!” Marinette tried to talk to her and calm her down but she just kept going. She apologized profusely for things she’d done to Marinette as well as leaving her to that liar rather than going to the trouble of exposing her like she should have. She ranted about the stupidity of her former classmates in believing the absolute garbage that came out of that girl’s mouth. Marinette finally reached out and latched onto Chloe’s forearm to get her to stop pacing.

“Chloe it’s okay. Really. If I hadn’t gone through everything I did, I might not have met my soulmate. Besides, it’s not your responsibility to deal with Lila. I could have exposed her at the very beginning but I decided to follow bad advice. This is my fault if anyone’s.” Damian, Marinette’s parents, and Bruce all tried to jump in and say it wasn’t her fault but Chloe just frowned at her.

“What bad advice?” Her voice was low and dangerous. Marinette fidgeted and didn’t look like she was going to respond. “Dupain-Cheng, what advice and from whom?”

“Adrien told me we should just let her be and take the high road. That her lies weren’t hurting anyone. But I knew they were and still didn’t say anything so it was my fault.”

“He said what?!” Everyone in the lobby of the hotel cringed and the volume. She seethed for a moment before asking in a deathly calm voice, “When did he say that?” Marinette hesitated. She looked like she was trying to decide if her answer would make the situation worse.

“When Lila came back. Right after Chameleon.”

“You mean right after Lila hijacked the Akuma that came for you because she threatened you?” Marinette just stared at her in shock.

“How did you know about that?” 

“Because I was there. Neither one of you checked to see if anyone was in the bathroom. Which is another reason I can’t believe Rossi still hasn’t been caught. It’s not like she’s careful.” 

“You were there?” Marinette seemed to be having trouble processing the information.

“Yes. I heard everything. I didn’t think you would want my help though and given the way things were I wasn’t sure anyone would believe me anyway. So I told the one person I knew would believe me and still be there for you.” 

“Adrien.” Marinette’s voice was flat as she said the name.

“Yeah, Adrien. He knew that she threatened you, and he knew that her lies weren’t harmless and he still had the gall to tell you that and throw you under the bus when everything went south just so he wouldn’t have to deal with the fallout!” Chloe’s voice just kept getting louder and louder as she went. Damian watched as all the hotel employees suddenly seemed to have things to do elsewhere. All except the front desk clerk who seemed to be trying to melt into the floor. 

“Hey, Chloe, breath with me okay?” They all watched as Marinette led the girl through some breathing exercises until she’d calmed down. “You did what you thought was right and that’s what matters.” Marinette gave her a blinding smile but Chloe just looked at her like she was insane.

“Have you lost your mind? Look at you. That is what matters. Intentions are crap, what you need is results.” Marinette frowned at her.

“Intentions do matter, but I see your point. After everything that’s happened intentions and words just aren’t enough.” Marinette seemed to be contemplating her own words when a new voice rang out.

“Marinette, sweetie what happened?” Marinette and her parents tensed noticeably and Chloe stepped between them and the newcomer with a scowl on her face.


	28. Denial

Damian and his family took in the scene before them. Chloe stood between the newcomer and Marinette, moving each time she looked to try and go around her. Tom just looked at the woman like he couldn’t believe she was there in the first place. But Sabine, she looked like a storm about to unleash it’s fury. As Damian watched, Jason actually edged away from tiny woman. It would have been funny if Damian didn’t feel like they were all in the line of fire. The woman in question just looked confused. But she scowled back at Chloe none the less.

“You did this didn’t you?” The woman yelled at Chloe and Damian felt Marinette’s panic as she moved forward to latch onto the other girl. Damian, knowing that Marinette wouldn’t be able to hold the girl in her current condition, stepped in between the two and turned his own glare on the woman. 

“I suggest you don’t speak of things you know nothing about. It simply makes you appear ignorant.” He didn’t know who she was and he didn’t care. Chloe had stood up for his Angel and whatever had happened in the past was secondary to the current problem. This woman was a new puzzle piece and he didn’t know where she fit. Until he did, he'd follow Marinette’s lead.

“And who are you? Any friend of Chloe’s is just as bad as she is in my book.” He could hear Marinette whispering to Chloe behind him, but couldn’t make out the words. He could tell from her song that she was trying to calm the girl down though. Her song was mimicking a lullaby again.

“I’m Marinette’s soulmate and given the she herself seems to currently be friendly with Chloe, I take great offense to that statement. The real question is who are you and why do all the people here who seem to know who you are feel the need to protect my soulmate from you?”

“Excuse me?” She seemed completely insulted by his words and Damian would have doubted his own observations if not for Marinette’s song. As it was everything pointed to this woman being a threat and he was going to treat her as such.

“I believe you heard me.”

“I’m Marinette’s best friend’s mother and she doesn’t have a soulmate. Alya said she just wished she did and convinced herself of it.” He just stared at her blinking and trying to figure out if the woman was serious or not. He was starting to wonder if being exposed to Akumas somehow dropped IQ or common sense. Marinette didn’t seem to be affected but that could be because she was a Miraculous holder herself. That wouldn’t hold true for her parents though. It took a minute for the name the woman said to penetrate his thought process. When it did he suddenly understood everyone’s reaction.

“That harpy is not my Angel’s friend.” He decided to ignore the rest of what she said. It didn’t matter. Anyone who would believe such a thing wasn’t worth the breath it would take to explain how stupid it was. He vaguely registered his brothers in the background cooing at the nickname and mentally rolled his eyes at the inappropriate timing. She looked like she was about to argue with him. “When was the last time you saw them together?” She blinked and him and closed her mouth. “When was the last time you heard your daughter say anything about Marinette that wasn’t a complaint or an insult?”

“So they’ve been going through a rough patch, that doesn’t change anything.” Damian realized too late that he was focused on the wrong threat. He was so busy listening for Marinette’s song to change so he knew Chloe wouldn’t go after the woman that he completely disregarded the person he knew to be the most volatile. 

“A rough patch? Alya assaulted my baby and you call that a rough patch!” Sabine was in the woman’s face before anyone else could move. Though, to be honest, he wasn’t sure if anyone would have dared to stop her anyway. She grabbed the woman by her collar and dragged her over to look at Marinette fully. “That handprint on Mari’s face is from your daughter. That split lip is from your daughter. And now you have the audacity to call my baby a liar and delusional to her face after everything Alya’s put her through?”

They watched as the woman tried to break out of Sabine’s grip and cringe away. Sabine kept yelling at the woman, at one point switching to curse at her very creatively in Mandrin. She finally let go and the woman almost fell over trying to get away.

“My Alya would never do something like that! Your daughter must have lied about what happened.” Tom was suddenly in between the two trying to hold his wife back from committing murder. There was no good way to diffuse the situation so Damian did the only thing that made sense in that moment. He defended his soulmate.

“First of all, Marinette wouldn’t lie. Second, I was there and I saw everything happen.” His tone was frigid as he pulled out his phone and walked toward the woman. “Third, if you don’t believe us then maybe you should take a look at the video your daughter helped go viral and decide for yourself.” He shoved the device in her hands, video cued and ready to be played. She stared at him in defiance for a moment before pressing play. Shock was the only thing that appeared on her face.

“This can’t be right. It has to make things look worse than they actually were. There’s no way my daughter would do such a thing.” As Damian watched to woman he almost felt sorry for her. She really didn’t seem to have any idea what was going on. But she’d also raised the girl who’d harmed his soulmate emotionally, mentally, and physically so the phrase you reap what you sow seemed appropriate.

“Perhaps you should have kept better informed of your daughter’s activities and friends. Your daughter has been bullying my soulmate for months and apparently you just thought it was a rough patch. I very much doubt you even know what that girl is capable of.” He was more than aware that the woman would find his statement offensive and he didn’t care. She may not be responsible for her daughter’s actions but the fact that she thought the two were still friends said she wasn’t very involved and had done nothing to stop it either.

“My daughter wouldn’t do this!” Damian scoffed and ripped his phone out of her hands.

“Are you saying that video is fake? Are you daring to call my child and her soulmate liars?” Sabine’s voice was deceptively quiet but it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Everyone reacted by straightening up and Chloe went so far as to pull Marinette and herself behind Damian. He had a feeling she was more worried about Sabine attacking the woman and them getting caught in the crossfire than anything else. The girl was once again trying to protect his Angel and went up another notch in his mind.

“I didn’t… I don’t… I’m not…” The woman couldn’t even form a coherent thought with Sabine glaring at her and giving off overprotective mama bear vibes. One wrong word, one wrong move and it was over. They could all feel it and no one knew how to begin to diffuse the situation.The longer Sabine stared at the woman the more panicked she got. Damian wasn’t surprised when she suddenly bolted for the door. Tom kept his wife from following, barely, and they all burst into strained laughter when the woman ran into the doors in her haste to get out of the building. Marinette moved to lay a hand gently on her mother’s arm and got the full force of her glare before her look softened. She didn’t even flinch and Damian could only wonder how she managed that.

“It’ll be okay Maman. I’ll heal and we’ll press charges.” 

“Assuming the police will actually do their jobs.” The words were said through clenched teeth and Damian could tell Sabine was doing everything in her power not to snap at her daughter.

“By the time we’re done they won’t be able to ignore it, and if they try we have the resources to launch a campaign highlighting the corruption and hypocrisy of the police. We’ll get public opinion on our side.” Tim’s words helped a little and Sabine relaxed enough to pull her daughter into a hug.

“You’ll have the Mayor’s office on your side as well. Even if Daddy wouldn’t do it because I asked he’s tired of getting push back from them and would love to show Paris where the real problem is while they blame him for things he has no control over.” Damian thought about the statement and wondered if Ladybug wasn’t the only one being blamed for the continued terror threat.

“No offence Chloe but your father isn’t really in our good books at the moment. His refusal to even acknowledge to the outside world there there’s a problem with Hawkmoth doesn’t bode well for him stepping out to defend one girl.” Tom’s voice was far harder than Damian was used to hearing it and Chloe flinched.

“He tried in the beginning. He even tried to contact the Justice League in the beginning since they’re the only ones he knows of that might be able to help. But there was no proof and they thought it was a political stunt so they refused to even look into it. I’m not blaming them, my father has developed a reputation that isn’t the best so I do understand where they’re coming from, but he took it as a sign that this needed to be handled internally and decided to try and keep Paris running as normally as possible until Ladybug can defeat Hawkmoth. He did try to get the police to work with her at my request but....” She winced and Damian could only imagine how badly that had gone.

“When did your father contact the Justice League?” Bruce’s voice was devoid of emotion but Damian could tell he was furious. Whoever had made that call had not only made the wrong one, it didn’t look like they’d consulted anyone else about it either. That would be an interesting meeting to observe. 

“Right when the attacks first started. Ladybug and that mangy cat didn’t really know what they were doing at first and he panicked.” Marinette giggled.

“Yeah that sounds about right. In his defense Ladybug did mess up pretty badly at first.” Damian opened his mouth to defend her from herself but Chloe beat him to it.

“Ladybug was given a responsibility with no warning and no instructions. Add that to the fact that she was and is so young it was inevitable. She recovered and stepped up that’s what matters. And now she’s doing everything by herself because her partner is useless and she’s still saving Paris on a weekly if not daily basis. Honestly if she just got the support she needed this would likely be over by now.” 

Chloe’s rant caused Marinette to tear up, and she immediately panicked and started apologizing even though she didn’t seem to know why. In the meantime, Damian and his family all shared looks that said the same thing. Ladybug may not be getting support from Paris but she would be getting it from them. He could only imagine how much more enthusiastic that support would be if they knew his soulmate was the sole savior of Paris.


	29. Threats

“Mlle. Bourgeois.” Chloe and Marinette stopped talking when Bruce addressed her. She straightened back up, defaulting into her original demeanor. It was a front when she felt threatened, similar to his if he was honest.

“M. Wayne.” Her tone held wariness and Damian could tell she was expecting a less than warm welcome. He wasn’t sure if that was just because it was what she was used to or because she was expecting it from Bruce specifically. Marinette rubbed the girls back soothingly and he caught the confused look that passed between her parents. 

“Would you like to join us for dinner?” No one expected that least of all Chloe. She physically recoiled and looked about ready to decline but Marinette spoke up first.

“I’d really like to catch up if you don’t have any other plans.” The poor girl looked like she’d woken up in an alternate dimension. Apparently that lost look moved Marinette’s parents enough for Sabine to go into mom mood. She walked up to Chloe and put an arm around her shoulders.

“We’d love for you to join us” Tom gave her an encouraging smile and she looked like her brain melted.

“Okay.” Before she could think about it or reconsider they were all seated in the dining room. She still looked extremely uncomfortable but didn’t appear to be ready to bolt anymore. She was situated between Sabine and Marinette and kept inching closer to the latter as if afraid Sabine might turn on her. Given what she’d said about being a bully he could understand why.

“So Marinette have you given any thought to what school you want to transfer to.” He watched his soulmate blink in surprise at the question before her cheeks turned pink.

“No actually. Between making your gifts and talking to the ‘not sisters’ there wasn’t a lot of time. Besides, I’d like to get to know Damian better first because I have a feeling he’ll go with whatever I want but I want it to be a school he actually likes too.” The boys awed over her sweetness while Damian rolled his eyes before Dick hooked into the other thing she said.

“Wait what do you mean ‘not-sisters’?” Damian scowled before answering.

“Babs decided to hack into Marinette’s computer so she, Steph, and Cass could see her.” The boys erupted into complaints that the girls got to meet her first but Bruce just let out a sigh, running his hand down his face in annoyance. “I told them it was an unacceptable violation of privacy, and that holds for you lot as well.” He pinned each of his brothers with a glare, lingering on Tim.

“I feel insulted that you believe we would resort to such tactics.” Tim’s words were only met with another glare. Bruce stepped in before it could go further.

“Marinette is Damian’s soulmate. They will decide what safety measures to take and we will abide by them. They do not need our interference or meddling. It will also be up to Marinette to decide what she wishes to share with us.” He stared down each of the boys in turn but also lingered on Tim.

“Oh come on, you act like I’m the only one who does research. Besides you’re the one that asked me to clone her phone.”

“You did what?” Damian’s voice was soft but the other boys flinched. Bruce just gave a tired sigh.

“I figured there were things on it Marinette would want later so I had Tim clone it so we could give the actual phone to the police but she would still have everything. After what happened tonight I think we can all agree that giving them the only copy of that harassment is a bad idea.” There were nods and grumbling from around the table but Chloe turned to Marinette.

“What harassment?” His Angel’s cheeks flushed pink again.

“It’s really nothing. They were just getting out their frustration.” Her words had the effect of a bomb going off. Denials were shouted from almost everyone present. Damian was fairly certain he heard Jason muttering about getting his guns while Sabine said something in Mandarin that almost made him blush. It was Tom that let out a piercing whistle to get everyone’s attention. His wife shot him a surprised look but the rest simply dropped their grumbling to a reasonable level.

“Sweetheart, Bruce showed us those messages before he left last night. That’s not frustration. They were threats and worse and you didn’t do anything to deserve them.”

“Can I see the messages?” Everyone seemed surprised by Chloe’s request.

“I don’t see how that could possibly be a good idea.” Bruce’s words pushed the girl back into her ‘holier than thou’ mode. Damian could practically see the superiority dripping from the girl.

“Because I know them and unlike Marinette I don’t have a romanticized view of those losers. I can tell what is out of character or not and tell you the likelihood of them acting on those threats because I’d be willing to bet not all of them are idle. If I’ve learned anything about Rossi it’s that she’s capable of getting people to do things they wouldn’t otherwise. The only people she hasn’t managed to corrupt in some way are Marinette and myself. Adrien knows she’s a liar and she still somehow got into his head enough to make him think this is acceptable and that Mari is the problem.”

Marinette was frowning in thought while the boys tried to dissuade Chloe from wanting to look at the phone. Damian could tell they were just putting her back up more but didn’t see anyway to fix that so he just stayed silent.

“She’s right.” Everyone was silenced by Marinette’s soft words. She looked at Bruce and they could all see the pain in her eyes. “Chloe has both an inside and outside perspective of the situation that’s invaluable. I’m too close to the situation and you’re all too far away. Chloe’s the best bet we have to stop anyone from doing something foolish and making things worse.” 

Damian watched as his father contemplated her words. His brothers just looked at each other. He had a feeling they were trying to come up with another argument. Marinette’s parents were both oddly blank so he had no idea what could be going through their heads. Chloe was just staring at Marinette in shock. She obviously didn’t expect anyone to agree with her.

“Thank you.” The words were soft but the feeling behind them made Damian think they weren’t just meant for this one instant. 

“Tim, give her the phone.” Tim looked like he was going to argue but Bruce’s face made him think twice about it. “We can’t afford to leave resources on the table right now. If Marinette is willing to trust her then that should be good enough for the rest of us.” Tim gave an annoyed grunt but did hand over the phone.

Chloe made sure to angle herself so that Marinette couldn’t get a look at the screen, which Damian was grateful for, before unlocking it to look at the messages. The more she read the more shocked her expression became before turning sickly. He had a feeling she got to the one with the detailed suicide instructions. She handed the phone back to Tim looking a little queasy. 

“I’d say the immediate physical threats would come from Alya, Adrien, and Kim. The rest don’t seem likely to take action on their own, but it won’t stop them from ganging up on Mari or trying to intimidate her through texts and social media.”

“Why those three?” It sounded like a normal question but Damian could tell Tim was using it as a test. Chloe sighed and rubbed her temples.

“Kim used to think he was in love with me and despite my showing no interest and being a bitch actually thought he had a chance. Judging from the tone of his messages he’s transferred that infatuation to Lila and she’ll use it to her advantage in any way she can. The idea to go after Mari would come from her but it would be Kim that’s the most likely to act on it. Adrien…” She paused and looked to be holding back tears. Marinette put a comforting hand on her arm and she took a deep breath before continuing. “His messages are extremely possessive. It’s clear that he considers Mari his property and is not going to react well to her leaving or doing anything he hasn’t approved of. As for Alya, she’s the most volatile. She’s always been brash and jumped into things without thinking but with Lila there to stoke the fire and aim her negative feelings I’d say she’s the most likely to get akumatized and go after Mari beside’s Lila herself.”

Damian had to admit she made a good case and given the interaction last night with Adrien he knew she was right about at least one of them. Marinette was right, Chloe would be a good asset in this battle. Tim looked like he wanted to argue but Damian caught his eye and shook his head. None of them knew these kids well enough to contradict Chloe’s opinion.

“What do you think Angel?” Marinette started a little at his question before looking at Chloe. The two simple stared at each other for a minute before she gave a small, tired sigh.

“I trust her judgement. I know she’s right about Adrien and as much as I don’t want to believe it of the others my judgement is compromised and I know Chloe’s head for politics makes her more observant and analytical than the average person. If that’s who she thinks is a threat then they are.”

He could tell how much it hurt her to say those words and admit that people she once considered friends were a threat. He wrapped an arm around her and she leaned into his shoulder thoroughly drained. The rest of the table was murmuring about precautions and threat levels but he just wanted to concentrate on his soulmate and offer what comfort he could. It was actually kind of peaceful. That didn’t last.

“Little M! I didn’t expect to see you here how’ve you been?”


	30. Uncle Jagged

As soon as Damian recognized the couple walking towards them, he cupped his hands over Marinette’s ears in the hopes that one of them would be able to hear in the next five minutes. She shot him a confused glace that turned grateful as both Dick and Tim let out horrifyingly loud and shrill screams.

Damian glanced around the table to gage reactions. Tom and Sabine just looked highly amused. Jason was simply gaping as if unsure what he was seeing was real. Dick and Tim had either stopped making noise or gone into a register humans were unable to hear. They were also gesturing wildly and hitting each other. Damian could help but roll his eyes. Bruce had a hand over his eyes and was muttering something but Damian couldn’t make it out. Chloe had a small, smug smile on her face. He wasn’t the only one who noticed it.

“Chloe, what did you do?” Marinette was agitated but he couldn’t figure out why.

“You are one of the most connected people I know. Literally everyone you’ve ever met owes you favors that you never cash in on. What’s more, they all genuinely like you. It’s about time you started utilizing those connections.” He could tell Marinette wanted to argue but Chloe stood up quickly and addressed the slightly amused couple in front of them. “M. Stone, Mme. Rolling I’m so glad you could meet us here.”

“Well you did say it was urgent Mlle. Bourgeois. But we were under the impression that we would be talking with just you.” Jagged Stone’s agent and wife seemed to be debating between being annoyed that Chloe misled them and enthused to see his soulmate. Jagged Stone didn’t have any such reservations.

“Lighten up Penny this is a great surprise, besides we need to talk to Marinette about tour outfits, not to mention something Rock n Roll for that gala we have to go to.” He turned to Marinette. “It’s this big name gala that’s going to have a bunch of stuffy aristocrats and I’m sure you can design something that’ll make them all…” He trailed off as he got a good look at her. Penny gasped behind him. “Little M. what happened? Do I need to set Fang on someone? Scratch that, I obviously do just give me a name.”

“That’s actually part of what we wanted to talk to you about but there’s also something that’s far more pressing that you’ll want to get your legal team on.” Damian decided he liked this girl better than most of his siblings. She was sticking up for his soulmate and trying to take down the people who hurt her. Marinette hissed her name in consternation. She was confused and embarrassed. He could tell that not being in on whatever Chloe had planned was making her nervous. Chloe just shushed her.

“Oh really?” Penny and Jagged were looking between the two, obviously confused. Apparently everyone knew about the bad blood that had existed between them.

“Yes. A video showed up.” Marinette tried to interject but Chloe just continued to talk over her. “In it a classmate of Marinette’s is claiming to know you. Something about saving your cat or some other nonsense. But the real trouble is that she claims that you wrote a song for her and are always calling her. I just thought you should know since those types of claims can seriously damage your reputation. Here I’ll send you the link.” 

Damian could sense his Angel’s relief and confusion. She obviously didn’t know about that video. Penny pulled up the video on her tablet. After they watched it, their expressions getting more angry by the second, Penny excused herself to get a hold of their lawyer.

“That kid’s not going to know what hit her once Penny gets through with her.” Pride shone in his voice and Damian could tell they had a strong soulmate bond. He didn’t know how but he could. “Does that little liar have anything to do with why you look like you fell off a building?” Marinette blushed and stammered.

“She’s managed to turn Marinette’s entire class against her, claiming she’s a bully.” Jagged snorted at the absurdity and Damian nodded before continuing. “They’re the ones who did this. Lila was careful not to get her hands dirty.”

“And who exactly are you?” Jagged was giving him a once over, giving a particularly long look at Damian’s arm around his Angel’s shoulders. “You’re being awfully familiar for someone I’ve never met and M.’s never mentioned.” 

“He’s my soulmate Uncle Jagged, be nice.” Before he could respond they all heard Dick stage whisper at Tim.

“Oh my god she called him Uncle Jagged, that’s so freaking cute!” Bruce looked like he wanted to melt into the floor but still shot them both a glare that succeeded in shutting them up. Sabine just laughed before turning back to the rock star.

“Why don’t you and Penny join us? We haven’t had a chance to catch up in months.” Jagged nodded and sat down next to Damian, still eyeing him like he was a threat.

“So tell me, what do you think of our Mari?” Jagged’s tone was borderline hostile and he could tell Marinette was getting exasperated.

“She’s amazingly kind and talented. I’ve never met someone so selfless and while her complete lack of self preservation is disturbing at times it’s also endearing. She’s too good a person for this world and certainly too good for me. So all I can do is treat her with the utmost care and respect and hope she never realizes she could do better.”

His brother’s were all stunned speechless and his father was looking at him like he’d grown two heads. Marinette’s parents were cooing over his words and he was pretty sure her father had teared up. Chloe just looked like she was about to gag and he couldn’t see his Angel’s face but the astonishment was taking over her song. He just continued his stare down with the rock star before the man broke out into a smile.

“Oh I like this one.” He addressed that comment to Tom and Sabine before focusing on Damian again. “You can call me Uncle Jagged, but only so long as you stick to that mindset. You hurt my favorite designer and niece and I’ll feed you to Fang.”

“If I ever hurt her I’ll be happy to let you.” 

Jagged and Marinette’s parents beamed at him. His own family was still struck dumb apparently. Finally Jason was the one to break the silence.

“Bruce! When did Damian get replaced with a pod person? Cause there’s no way that just came out of Demon Spawn’s mouth.” That broke the dam and all his brother’s began trying to pinpoint the moment he’d been replaced or drugged. Damian rolled his eyes and his father just sighed. Marinette giggled beside him and he found that he couldn’t be too annoyed as long as she was enjoying herself.

“I apologize for my sons. Both when they first saw you, now, and for everything they’re bound to do in the future.” A chorus of ‘Hey!’s rang out in the background. “I’m Bruce Wayne. This is Dick, Jason, and Tim. And Marinette’s soulmate is my youngest, Damian.” He held out a hand to Jagged who took it with a smile.

“Oh don’t worry I’ve had worse. Though it’s been a long time since I’ve heard a sound like that come out of a grown man.” Dick and Tim actually blushed while everyone else laughed. Penny came back in and sat next to her husband.

“The legal team is already drawing up papers for a lawsuit and PR will have a statement to release within the hour.”

“Good, that’s one less thing to worry about. Now we can get back to the real problem.” His eyes settled on Marinette. “What steps have been taken to make sure this doesn’t happen again?” His tone actually sent a chill down Damian’s spine. He realized two things. First he had been mostly joking with Damian earlier. Second, this man would definitely feed someone to his crocodile if they so much as looked at Marinette the wrong way. It was actually kind of comforting.


	31. A Helping Hand

“Uncle Jagged it’s really not as bad as it looks.” Damian let out a scoff and Marinette sent him a glare before she continued. “But we’re going to press charges, I’m going to change schools, and Damian’s been glued to my side since it happened. Given that he managed to get my entire class to back down with a few words and a glare I think I’m in good hands.” Damian actually blushed a little at her praise though he would deny it should anyone say so.

“That’s all well and good, but you should have a full security detail while this is being resolved, and after just in case they or their families try to retaliate. Definitely a chauffeur and you should have a set schedule so that we can find you and know where you are at all times.” Penny was just listing things off while writing them on her tablet. He could feel Marinette’s song turning into a frenzied panic and it took him a minute to realize that she was worried about how being on lockdown would affect her role as Ladybug. Surveillance wasn’t an option.

“Mme. Rolling.” She blinked at Damian as he interrupted her. He got the feeling that didn’t happen often. “I believe Marinette and her parents should discuss options and decide on a course of action. While I think all the things you’ve mentioned should be part of that discussion, the final say in the matter needs to be theirs. And while Marinette’s safety is my primary concern I don’t think locking her up and smothering her with security is the best option.” Marinette gave him a grateful look, and her parents seemed to be deep in thought. Jagged opened his mouth to protest but Sabine spoke first.

“Damian’s right. This whole thing has stifled her light and creativity enough. Locking her into a schedule and having her constantly watched isn’t going to help that. It might even cause her to do something reckless to get away from it and that’s the last thing we want. Now that we know there’s a problem.” She shot a glance a Marinette that he couldn’t quite interpret, but he felt his Angel’s unease and guilt causing him to tighten his arm around her in an attempt at comfort. “We can decide on and take appropriate steps. All of your suggestions are more than welcome, and Bruce we’d like your input as well. Since your family is always in the public eye I have a feeling your insight will be helpful.”

After that the evening dragged on. He and Marinette stayed silent for the most part as everyone else offered ideas for her safety. Even Chloe had some good suggestions and was surprisingly helpful at dissuading Jagged from hiring a full security team then and there. She mentioned a number of stunts Adrien had pulled in order to get privacy and freedom and that seemed to quell even his enthusiasm. She was also the one to effectively end the evening.

“Well as nice as this has been I should go. Unlike some people I have school tomorrow.” She shot a mock glare at the two of them before standing and saying her goodbyes to everyone. Marinette stood and hugged her, which she still didn’t seem to know how to react, and whispered something that brought a small smile to her face. Once she left, Jagged and Penny weren’t far behind. When Marinette’s parents said they needed to get home and to bed, he swore he could feel the gears turning in his Angel’s head. 

“Maman? Would it be alright if I stayed for awhile? I’d like to get to know Damian’s family better and you two won’t let me help out in the bakery right now anyway.” Tom huffed out an ‘I would hope not’ while her mother considered her.

“I don’t see why not. But if it gets too late text us to let us know you decided to stay here. I don’t want you two out in the streets in the middle of the night.” 

“Of course. Thank you Maman.” They said their goodbyes and Damian could practically feel his brother’s about to burst. Any doubt that Alfred had informed them that Marinette knew their identities was gone. Bruce could obviously tell as well.

“Why don’t we go upstairs? I think we’ll all be more comfortable.” And they needed the privacy. Damian wasn’t sure what his soulmate had planned, but he could tell she wanted to stay behind for more than just small talk. As soon as they hit Bruce’s suite, his brothers exploded. Damian watched as they all talked over each other creating a lot of noise that was in no way understandable. He could feel Marinette’s confusion but it was the sense that she was getting overwhelmed that caused him to snap. He placed his hands over her ears again before letting out a shrill whistle. 

  
“If you can’t behave like civilized people and take turns talking I’ll just take Marinette home and you can continue this nonsense without us.” He felt more than heard his Angel giggle in front of him.

“Easy Demon Spawn, we just want to know how she figured us out, Alfred seems to think she’s a perfect fit already.” Jason’s words were met with nods from the other two. Damian just sighed.

“Well given that Alfred gave her the clue to put it together I’m not surprised.” Bruce frowned at his words.

“What do you mean Alfred did? I thought you were going to tell her.”

“I told her about me and you but that was it. Alfred sent her a list of all of our measurements which included adjustments for Kevlar and she figured out the rest.” Bruce just sighed and shook his head. They’d all given up understanding some of the things that Alfred did. Especially since he always ended up being right. Always.

“And now that I do know I have a few things I need to discuss with you.” Her tone was purely professional and Damian had a feeling she was slipping into her Ladybug mode. Her song was more confident and intense.

“Oh? And what would that be?” Dick sounded amused and Damian glared at him over her head. He felt her irritation spike as well.

“First, as my parents mentioned to Bruce, Ladybug hasn’t had any luck getting the authorities to work with her and it’s severely limiting her ability to track down Hawkmoth. She’s fairly certain she knows who it is but hasn’t been able to find proof. I think all of Paris would be grateful if you could help with that.” There was dead silence. Confusion seemed to be the prominent emotion.

“It sounds like you know a lot about Ladybug.” There was an implied question in Dick’s words and Marinette just shrugged. Apparently she wasn’t ready to out herself just yet.

“My balcony somehow became a normal resting place for Paris’s heroes. They show up, I feed them, we talk. It helps that I’ve never been Akumatized so they feel a little safer giving me information. Not to mention Ladybug likes to check up on me after I had that really bad week.” Bruce nodded in thought while his brother looked even more confused.

“Of course we’ll do what we can to help her. Do you have a way to contact her?”

“Yes, if I need to. But for now I can tell you what I know and we can go from there.”

“Fair enough. What else did you want to talk to us about?”

She took a deep breath and Damian felt her wince as it aggravated her ribs. “This is going to sound really bad, but if you can manage to help in the next five days that would be best. After that it would be best if as many of you as possible were out of Paris.” His brothers started protesting immediately, talking over each other again. Bruce just looked thoughtful for a moment before glaring the other’s into submission.

“And what brought you to that conclusion?” Bruce’s voice was soft, comforting even, but Marinette still fidgeted nervously when she answered.

“You’re all trained. You all have combat experience and if any of you were to become Akumatized it would be a disaster and make things harder on Ladybug. If Damian is any example you don’t have a lot of experience controlling your emotions.” They all went to argue with her but his Angel just kept going. “I don’t mean the front people put up so that others don’t see their emotions. I have no doubt you’re all well versed in that. I’m talking about actually controlling them. Being able to weed out negative emotions and replace them with positive ones. Hawkmoth doesn’t care what you show to others, he takes advantage of everything that’s festering inside you. Any one of you could be extremely dangerous to Paris.”

Before any of them could argue an alarm sounded outside. Marinette’s shock reverberated through him as she grabbed the TV remote and found a news channel. They watched as a blonde boy in what looked like a costume strolled down the middle of a street.

“I guess your theory of who Hawkmoth is was wrong.” Marinette didn’t even seem to hear him, she was too busy studying the screen. She kept inching forward until her nose was almost touching it. She reached out a shaky hand to trace an object on the boy’s chest before she gasped.

“He’s not Akumatized.”


	32. Not Prepared

Damian felt a slight wave of panic before it was replaced with calm and concentration. It was strange but he was certain this was her Ladybug mode, even if she wasn’t transformed. 

“That’s good then isn’t it?” Jason’s words caused Damian to roll his eyes. Even if they weren’t in her head they should be able to see her tension.

“No. This is very not good. This is beyond bad.” She didn’t even seem to realize she was talking. “Plagg, Tikki, you need to look at this and tell me I’m wrong.” His father and brothers shot each other confused glances. Marinette sighed in annoyance and he had a feeling one of the Kwamis tried to argue with her. “They were going to find out soon anyway and I don’t have time to come up with excuses.” She sounded so done, both her voice and her song.

Plagg appeared first, followed slowly by Tikki. Bruce frowned at the creatures not sure what to make of them and Plagg scowled back at him. Dick looked like he wanted to reach out and touch one of them to make sure they were real. Jason let out an unmanly squeak and Tim just looked like his head was about to explode.

“Marinette, you can’t just…” Tikki didn’t get to finish as Marinette pushed them both towards the TV.

“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.” Damian could tell she wasn’t expecting the answer she wanted and when both Kwamis gasped in surprise she groaned. “I did not prepare for this contingency.” 

“Duusu.” The word came out as a hushed whisper from Tikki and Damian was just as confused as the others now. Marinette screwed her eyes shut and he had a feeling she was mentally cursing. She started pacing and her song was beyond agitated.

“I was fully prepared for him to get Akumatized. I had a plan. I had people to use as back up. I did not expect him to do something this stupid.” She groaned again and rubbed her temples. Dick opened his mouth to ask something but Damian shook his head at him. Interrupting her now was an extremely bad idea. “Damage control. I need to do damage control and try to make sure Hawkmoth doesn’t catch on to what really happened. The element of surprise is still on the table even if it’s not quite how I thought things would go.”

She looked back at the TV and the scene was much the same. The boy was strolling along the street, not doing anything but apparently yelling. The TV crew didn’t get close enough to be able to hear what.

“Marinette, you have to go after him before he does something even more reckless.” She barely spared a glance at Tikki when the Kwami spoke. He could feel her planning. The intense concentration was a little overwhelming.

“I will go after him, but right now he’s not doing any harm and I have to worry about the other pieces in this game and the fallout.” She turned to look at them and all of them straightened up at the look. She was studying them and every last one felt lacking in some way. “Did you bring your suits with you by chance?” They all just nodded. She went over to the desk to grab a piece of paper and began writing. Plagg flew over and sat on her shoulder to watch.

“What are you thinking Bug?” She didn’t answer him directly, instead she turned to all of them.

“ I need you to suit up and follow my instructions. Tim,” She walked over and handed him the paper. “I need you to hack into the security at this address. Loop the security feed if you can I want it to look as normal as possible. Once that’s done I need you all to secure the occupants. It might just be one woman but there may also be a bodyguard. The woman is the important one though. I need her secured and kept away from any and all electronics. She may look sick and try to play on your sympathies. Do not let her.” The words came cold and hard, Damian was a little shocked that tone came from her.

“Marinette we can’t just break into someone’s home and hold people against their will.” Bruce stopped as Marinette glared at him. She glared at Batman knowing full well who he was, and it actually worked.

“I do not have time to explain this to you. I just need you all to help me before it’s too late.” Her voice cracked on the last word. It was the only hint of her desperation, but it was enough. “I promise this is all to defeat Hawkmoth and I will explain later, but right now I need you all to trust me. I don’t have a lot of time, if any, to pull this off.”

“Of course we’ll help Angel.” Damian glared at his family, daring them to contradict him. They just stood by. Marinette hugged him quickly before grabbing his phone. He watched as she set a timer on it and frowned in confusion.

“While you guys are doing that I need to deal with Adrien. I’m going to leave Plagg with you.” He started to protest, along with Plagg but she ignored them. “I’m going to have other help and I don’t want both Miraculous on me just in case. That timer is so that you know when to panic. If I haven’t made it to the mansion by then you can come after me. Plagg.” The Kwami floated sullenly in front of her. “You are not aloud to tell him or anyone else how to transform until that timer goes off. I need you both safe and away from the fight. If Adrien sees a new Black Cat holder it my send him the rest of the way off the deep end. Right now he’s fairly calm and I can use that. He also has no idea what happened which works in my favor.”

“You can’t go out there alone Bug, not injured.” She gave him a small smile and scratched between his ears. 

“I have no intention of it. It’s time to give an old friend a second chance.” 

“Fine, but be careful. He may not look like much at the moment but he was my holder. He may not be a match for you normally but he’s also unhinged and that can make someone unpredictable.” Marinette was nodding along to his words and did seem to be taking them in.

“Don’t worry Plagg, I won’t let my guard down and I have no intention of getting close to him myself until I take that broach from him. Tikki, are you ready to try my new look?” The red Kwami just looked at her for a moment before nodding.

“I hope you know what you’re doing Marinette.”

“I promise I have a plan Tikki. I’m not going to just go rushing in blind.” She turned to look at Damian. “Spots on.” He watched as her transformation washed over her. The suit was different than the night before. Rather than red with black spots it seemed more black with red accents. But what really caught his attention were her wings. There was a protective outer shell, just like a real ladybug but it sat flatter against her back. The wings were translucent and silent as she tried them out and hovered above the floor with a small smile on her face. His family seemed too in shock to say anything but he stepped towards her and took her hands gently.

“Be safe.” There was so much more he wanted to say but there was no time. Both her eyes and her song told him she felt the same way.

“You too.” She reached over and started the timer before slipping a chain off her neck with the Black Cat Miraculous on it. She placed it in his hand and curled his fingers around it before flying out the window.

“What the hell just happened?” Jason broke the silence and Damian just rolled his eyes as he walked past them.

“Suit up, we have a job to do.”


	33. A New Hero

They all landed silently on the roof. Plagg had been able to guide them around any cameras and now Tim and Babs were working together to hack the system. Damian couldn’t help but glance at the timer on his phone. He knew she gave it to him so that he’d be able to concentrate on the task at hand but when he wasn’t actively doing anything it was hard not to worry.

“When did you find out about her?” His father’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He debated how much he should say.

“There was trouble last night and she had to transform to deal with it.” 

“That’s why it was so urgent for you to tell her about us. You wanted her to know she wasn’t alone. That you could help.”

Damian didn’t bother to respond. He could feel his father’s gaze and knew he was trying to find answers. Neither Bruce nor any of his brothers had soulmate bonds. It was another reason he’d never mentioned it, they wouldn’t understand. It was also the only thing that had ever been completely his. The only thing that couldn’t be taken from him. He wasn’t about to start sharing now.

“Okay, we’ve got everything set. This security and defense system is something I’d expect us to use, not some fashion designer. She might be onto something thinking he’s this Hawkmoth character.”

“I’d say she’s more than just onto something.” Oracle’s voice came through their comms. “You had better follow the rest of her instructions, I have a feeling she gave them to you for a reason. And remember what she said about this woman playing on your sympathies. Especially you Dick.”

“Oh come on, it was one time!”

“You mean one time this month right? Because I can pull up plenty of video and audio files to prove my point.” As entertaining as their bickering was, Damian wasn’t in the mood to delay. Especially when Marinette seemed to think time was against them.

“Lets go. The longer we wait the more likely whatever Ladybug was trying to prevent by sending us here will happen.” He emphasized her hero name both so they didn’t slip up in front of whoever they were detaining and to get them to realize his soulmate was the hero of Paris. They were still all acting like this was a game and they were just humoring her. It made his blood boil and if they didn’t start taking this seriously he was going to do some damage.

They entered silently. Batman and Robin followed the directions written on the paper to secure one Nathalie Sancoeur while the other’s fanned out through the house to search for any other occupants. There weren’t any, as Ladybug had predicted, and Nathalie was asleep when they entered. It was far too easy in Damian’s mind and he wondered if she was just trying to keep them occupied and out of the way. At least that’s what he thought until Red Robin and Oracle started digging deeper into Agreset’s system.

\------------

As Ladybug flew back to her home she couldn’t help but marvel at her new mode of transportation. She felt a bit guilty enjoying it at such a time but it couldn’t be helped. She entered her room silently even though she knew her parents would be asleep. Carefully, she moved a panel directly under her bed to reveal everything related to the Miraculous. She paused to stare at a picture of her and Master Fu. They were both transformed and it was the only picture she had like that. He had been so happy that day. The day he had given her the Ladybug Miraculous permanently. Her eyes filled with tears but she blinked them back and focused on her mission.

Pulling out the Miracle Box she couldn’t help but run her hands over the smooth wood before opening it and frowning at the contents. She let the plan that had started forming at the hotel take better shape in her mind before picking two she would need. Once she had them and her plan firmly in her possession she sped back the way she’d come. She knocked on a window to be received by a very confused Chloe Bourgeois.

“What are you doing here?”

“I need your help.”

“But you haven’t used any other holders in over and year, and I thought I couldn’t be Queen Bee anymore because it was too dangerous.” Ladybug watched Chloe carefully for any signs of her old attitude. Anything that screamed ‘I deserve this’, but didn’t find it. She smiled at the other girl softly.

“It is too dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a hero. I haven’t used other holders because I wasn’t sure who I could trust. You’ve proven yourself as a civilian and I can’t do this alone.”

She should have been sad Chloe didn’t say anything about Chat coming to help. Ladybug knew that Chloe could probably pinpoint the last Akuma fight he’d actually shown up to and had written him off. 

“I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

Ladybug smiled as she handed the girl a box. When she opened it, Chloe just looked confused for a moment before Pollen appeared.

“My Queen!” The Kwami flew at her holders face to hug her before Chloe could say anything. Joy radiated from her as she embraced the Kwami before she looked at Ladybug in confusion.

“I’ve been working with Pollen for awhile to get you a new look that won’t be recognizable. Once she made it clear that you were perfectly in tune with her I knew what had to be done. New look, new name, and as far as anyone knows, new hero.” Chloe just blinked at her for a minute. Ladybug couldn’t tell if she was just processing or if she was broken until she lunged forward to hug her.

“Thank you!” She pulled back and soon as she felt Ladybug flinch. “What happened?” 

“I was injured as a civilian. It’s one of the reasons I need your help but it’s not severe I promise.” Chloe was still frowning at her but nodded. “Are you ready for your new look?” Chloe just grinned in a manic fashion before placing the comb in her hair.

“Pollen, buzz on!”


	34. Red Wasp

Chloe held her breath as Ladybug circled her. She felt like she was being scanned for flaws.

“Well?” She wanted it to come out impatient, maybe even harsh, but she could hear the tentative tone and hoped it wouldn’t be seen as weakness. Ladybug met her eyes and smiled.

“Have a look for yourself. No one will ever connect you to Queen Bee.” Her tone was almost smug and once she got a good look at herself in the mirror she could tell why. As she looked herself over Ladybug explained the thought process behind it.

“Your signature color is yellow, both as Chloe and Queen Bee, so we designed this suit after the red paper wasp. You still have yellow accents but they’re muted and a little darker to enable you to blend better. Same reason I decided to go with more black in my new design. The red also has a brownish tint so it blends better with the yellow. Bright colors are all well and good in nature, but your abilities are best utilized if your opponents don’t see you coming. We were originally going to go with black for the hair color to match the base color in the suit, but I didn’t want it to be too obvious that it was the opposite of yours, so we settled on this shade of brown because it highlights the tints in both the yellow and red. The wings mean that Pollen was right about how well suited the two of you are.” She hesitated for a moment. “Do you like it?”

Chloe looked at her and realized Ladybug was uncertain. She’d fought hundreds of Akumas at this point and had done it with grace and conviction, but she actually looked a little scared that Chloe would reject this outfit and possibly the Miraculous. Chloe remembered what she’d said about not using other holders because she didn’t know who she could trust and wondered what had happened to make her idol so unsure of herself. She didn’t like it and made it her mission to help her regain whatever it was that she’d lost. She pulled Ladybug into a hug.

“I love it! I’m honored that you’re giving me this chance and that you but so much thought into everything.” Ladybug beamed at her and Chloe felt like she should recognize the look but couldn’t place it. The feeling only lasted a moment though before Ladybug frowned in thought.

“Chloe do you have a soulmate?” She blinked at the question. Where did that come from? But she nodded. “Are they in Paris? Do you know them?”

“No. There’s always been distance in the bond, even when I’ve traveled. I’ve felt it get a little less or more but I’ve never been close to them. Why?” Ladybug gave out a sigh that sounded relieved.

“I found out recently that the bond will override the Miraculous magic that protects our identities, though Tikki assures me that they have to see you in person or you have to have already met and solidified the bond. So you should be safe. I do need to know if you feel them get closer or if you meet though so I know who has what information.”

Chloe just nodded before she thought about what Ladybug said. She didn’t say to try and keep if from her soulmate, just that she needed to know if someone else knew. It also made it sound like…

“Wait, are you letting me keep Pollen?” Ladybug nodded. “Permanently?!” She actually laughed at Chloe’s excited squeal.

“Yes, permanently. I’ve been keeping an eye on you Chloe. As you’ve said, I haven’t trusted anyone else with a Miraculous in a long time. I made mistakes in the past and didn’t want to repeat them. You’ve proven that you’re willing to put in the work to be a better person. You’ve proven that you’re not easily tricked or led by people you shouldn’t follow. You’ve proven you’re a true Miraculous holder.” 

Chloe was tearing up by the end of the speech. She’d worked so hard this past year and it was an incredible feeling for that to be recognized, but she also felt guilty. 

“What about Marinette?” Ladybug blinked at her in obvious surprise and frowned.

“What about her?”

“I just abandoned her. What kind of hero does that? I know we were never close, never really got along even at the end but I still just left her there knowing that Lila would turn on her.” Ladybug sighed and shook her head as if to clear it.

“If you hadn’t left it would have just hurt you and dragged you down. It would have severely stunted your growth as a person. Marinette decided to stay and that is on her not you. It’s not your fault and you had no idea how bad things would get.”

“It almost sounds like you’re blaming her.” Chloe frowned in confusion. Ladybug was the kindest person she’d ever met, or maybe she tied with Marinette she wasn’t sure. But she always saw the best in people and it was a little jarring to hear the tone she directed at the girl.

“I’m not blaming her, but her choices are hers and you can’t fault yourself for them. You did what you thought was the right thing and no one should blame you for that. I don’t and I’m sure Marinette doesn’t either.” Chloe nodded but there was still something that bothered her about Ladybug’s words and tone. She just couldn’t figure out what. “Regardless, right now we have bigger problems. Did you see the news?”

“Yes. Seems awfully tame for an Akuma.” Ladybug looked away and hugged herself, wincing when she squeezed too hard. Chloe had a feeling her ‘minor injuries’ weren’t so minor but kept the thought to herself. She’d just been deemed trustworthy again, now was not the time to pry.

“That’s because it’s not an Akuma. This is going to be hard for you to hear but I need you to listen without interrupting me.” Chloe just nodded. “Last night Chat did something that forced me to take his Miraculous. The person under the mask was Adrien Agreste.” She paused and waited for a reaction. Chloe just blinked at her and waited. “I’ve believed Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth for months but haven’t been able to prove it. This,” She pointed to where the TV was. “Seems to prove that assumption. That is Adrien with the Peacock Miraculous. That he has possession of it at all, let alone so quickly tells me someone close to him had it.” Chloe felt confused but somehow not really surprised by the information. 

“That means you think Nathalie is Mayura then.” It wasn’t a question and Chloe wondered how no one else had come to the same conclusion. It made perfect sense for Gabriel to be Hawkmoth given the man’s cold hearted demeanor. The more she thought about the possessive streak in both Chat and Adrien, that made sense too. “What Chat did… did it have something to do with Marinette?” She remembered the video and how annoyed Adrien seemed to be with the girl. Ladybug nodded.

“He used his powers to break into her room and attack her soulmate.” Chloe’s eyes widened in shock before narrowing it fury. Oh that bastard.

“So we’re taking the Peacock Miraculous back. How badly am I allowed to hurt him in the process?” Ladybug actually let out a snort of laughter before she caught herself.

“If I’m right and we do this properly, we won’t hurt him at all.” Chloe scowled. “Our biggest advantage right now is that he has no idea how he lost his Miraculous. He’s not mad at me because I took it because Plagg erased some of his memories. That means I can distract him while you sneak up an incopacitate him.” 

“I don’t like the idea of you putting yourself in harms way just to distract him.” Ladybug grinned at her and winked.

“Oh I guarantee I won’t be in any danger. I’ll be distracting him, but he won’t be anywhere near me.” 

Chloe nodded slowly, trusting that the hero knew what she was doing. Ladybug had believed in her when no one else did. Trusted her when she trusted no one else. Chloe had watched her take down threats on a daily basis. She trusted her judgement. She looked at herself in the mirror one more time before turning to face Ladybug fully and giving her a mock salute.

“In that case, Red Wasp reporting for duty. Lets go beat some sense into that entitled nutcase.” They grinned at each other before both unfurled their wings and flew out into the night.


	35. Cheese and Computers

Once their charge was secured, Damian pulled out a tablet to watch the ongoing news broadcast. The boy was still wondering down random streets yelling, Ladybug was nowhere to be found, and the news casters just seemed confused by both. He checked his timer again and his eye twitched. This was all taking too long. He walked into a different room, away from their captive, to talk to Plagg.

“If you guys have to follow your holder’s orders then I can just make you tell me how to transform right?” Plagg just gave him a droll look.

“Okay, first I realize you just met the girl but you have to have some idea of how bad of an idea that is. She’s really not someone you want to just piss off for no reason. Second, she hasn’t even arrived yet and if you go barreling in now you’ll destroy whatever plan she has. While it may be convoluted, most of the things she comes up with are, chances are high it will work. And third, unfortunately orders that come directly from the Guardian override ones from our holder. So no, I can’t tell you and I would advise you keep your head here where she wants it for the time being. You’re far more useful keeping your family focused here than getting in her way out there.”

Damian just scowled at the Kwami. He really didn’t care if he was right, his soulmate was out there and he belonged with her. Not here babysitting. Then he felt her song trying to calm him again and took a deep breath. Great now he was a distraction as well. Fine, he’d do what he had to here. She said she couldn’t find proof that Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth so he’d just make sure he and his family found it for her.

“You seemed unconvinced that Agreste is Hawkmoth and you lived in the same house with him. What makes her so sure he is when you doubt?” Plagg let out a deep sigh before flying over to land on Damian’s shoulder.

“I would go with her judgement over mine. I doubted because Tikki did, not really from my own observations. Unlike Tikki I don’t insert myself into everything. For the most part I let my holders make their choices and then make fun of them. I don’t necessarily pay attention to what’s going on around me. It never really caused much of a problem before. I also rarely left Adrien’s room unless I was in his pocket or bag. It never really occurred to me to search through the house or spy on his father.”

“Even after Ladybug seemed so certain that he was Hawkmoth?”

“We don’t interact much with other holders. I knew about the first time they suspected him, but then he was Akumatized and it was dropped. I didn’t even know until recently she’d become suspicious of him again, and I’ve been busy trying to reel in my ex-holder.” The Kwami scowled in annoyance before perking up. “While we’re here, you mind if I raid my Camembert stashes?” Damian laughed and pulled out a collapsible bag. 

“Go for it. No point leaving it to rot when you’ll eat it.” Plagg took the bag and flew off with a mischievous grin and Damian wondered if he was planning on leaving some of his cheese in strategic locations. Shaking his head he went back to his family and found Dick arguing with Red Hood.

“She’s obviously sick it’s cruel to deny her a trip to the bathroom.” Damian rolled his eyes. This was exactly what they’d been warned about and he still fell for it.

“We can’t let her out of our sight. Who knows what’s hidden where in a place like this. Given the security measures Red Robin has found we can’t just let her wander off.”

“What exactly seems to be the problem?” Damian’s voice was bored. The last thing he wanted was to show this woman an emotion she could try to use. She’d already seemed to figure out that Dick was the one to manipulate.

“She says she feels nauseous.” Red Hood used finger quotes around the last word and Damian felt his mouth tug up in a smile which he promptly squashed. He walked over to the desk and pulled out the little trash can under in. After checking it to make sure there were no surprises - yes he was paranoid, that’s how he stayed alive - he set it down in front of the woman.

“Problem solved. Nightwing why don’t you go wait for our guest to arrive.” Batman’s words held no hint of emotion but everyone in the room knew he was being dismissed. Including the woman tied to a chair. He looked ready to argue for a moment before stepping out of the room. Damian looked back at the woman in the chair to find her completely composed. She felt… off somehow. Ladybug had been right when she told them she would look sick. But it was more than that. Her entire demeanor was off and there was something calculating in her eyes that make the hair on the back of his neck rise.

“You could make all of this go much smoother. All you have to do is help us find what we need.” Damian watched for a reaction to his father’s words but there really wasn’t one. She flicked her eyes at him in a bored fashion but otherwise made no movement. Batman opened his mouth once more when all of a sudden metal plates dropped over all the windows and doors on the outside of the house.

“What did you do?” Damian moved to where Red Robin was frantically typing on his tablet, Oracle was trying to give him instructions through the comm when suddenly everything in the house shut down, including all their electronics.

“Oops?” 


	36. Blackouts and Illusions

“What do you mean oops? What the hell did you do?” Damian’s voice seemed to echo in the room as both his father and siblings pulled out glow sticks so they could see.

“Nothing! There must have been some type of failsafe or virus. We were just trying to get into her communications so that we could distract her boss if we needed to. I didn’t touch anything related to the house at all. Not to mention that had to have been an EMP. Everything’s out.” Damian was about to curse at him some more when his mind caught up to the situation and he started to panic. He pulled out his phone and stared at the blank screen. No, no, no, this couldn’t be happening.

“What have you done?” The words were hushed and he ran out of the room to find Plagg. He skidded to a stop in the foyer to see Dick with a glow stick talking to Plagg. “Plagg! How literal do you have to take instructions from the Guardian?” His panicked tone brought both The Kwami and Dick to his side instantly.

“Pretty much word for word why?” 

“You need to go to her now.” Damian’s voice was flat but his eyes must have shone something because the two in front of him shared a look. He felt the song in his head change and tried to calm himself. He couldn’t distract her, not now.

“Calm down kid, what’s wrong?” He held up his phone and Plagg let out a string of what sounded like curses, but he had no idea what language they were in.

“And she said I couldn’t tell you how to transform until that specific timer went off.” Plagg flew in circles for a few seconds thinking. “Okay, I get that this isn’t ideal.” Damian let out a sound of protest but Plagg just carried on. “But there was at least an hour left on that timer. If I go try to find her now I could just be making things worse. For now we should just stick with the plan as much as we can. If we need to I can Cataclysm the house so we can get out, but it’s best to use that as a last resort.” Damian just groaned but went back to the other room.

“What happened?” He stormed up to Nathalie to glare at her.

“I have no idea. But you need to fix it. Now.” Her tone was rather imperious and had the others shooting confused glances at each other.

“This is your system, how can you not know?” Batman seemed annoyed that she was trying to play them still. 

“You said it activated when you looked at my email. The only failsafe I have is for it to erase any and all messages if it’s accessed from something other than my tablet. This seems like someone was trying to keep me from contacting anyone.” Her words were calm and composed. It was honestly weirding him out at this point.

“And who do you think is behind it then?”

“My assumption at this point would have been you. I don’t know of anyone else who could have managed it. Perhaps one of Gabriel’s competitors if it had just been a virus, but this level of sabotage isn’t something they’d do.” They all frowned at each other. They didn’t have anywhere near enough information to figure this out.

“You can’t think of anyone who would want to keep you from contacting your boss? Someone who would trap you in here with no way to communicate at all?” Something flitted across her face and Damian knew his father hit a nerve.

“No one that would be able to do this.”

“Yes but do they know someone who can?” The woman looked uneasy, but refused to answer. Unfortunately there wasn’t much for them to do now except wait.

\--------------

Ladybug was using her yoyo to track Adrien. He definitely wanted to be found or he would have turned the tracker off. She and Red Wasp stuck to the shadows. This plan would go down in flames before they even started if someone saw them.

“So are you going to actually tell me this plan of yours or are we just jumping in there and hoping I do what you want me to do?” Ladybug raised an eyebrow at snarky tone and Red Wasp immediately blushed and started apologizing. 

“No, you’re right Wasp. I’m still trying to plan for things that can go wrong. Which is everything at this point. The basics are that I’m going to distract him while you sneak up behind him and use venom. He shouldn’t be expecting it. First because he has no idea I know he was Chat or that I took his Miraculous and second because as you pointed out I haven’t used another holder in over a year.”

“How do you plan to distract him without getting close to him?” 

“I brought the Fox Kwami along to help with that problem.” Red Wasp frowned in confusion.

“Kwami’s can work on their own without a holder?” Ladybug just nodded. She seemed to be answering on autopilot as she looked for problems.

“Kwami’s existed long before the Miraculous. With some it’s definitely not advisable for them to use their powers and most don’t. They tend to be a lot stronger without a holder to direct them. In Trixx’s case it’ll make the illusion stronger. Hopefully strong enough to stay if it’s touched though I’m going to try and avoid that. But everything about it will be more real than if a holder was controlling it.” The other girl hummed in thought.

“And if things don’t go as planned?”

“Then we’ll have to improvise and, worst case scenario, hope my new Black Cat is a quick study.” Ladybug caught Wasp’s surprised inhale.

“You found a new holder already?” Ladybug had a secretive smile on her face.

“He found me actually.”


	37. Cocky Cat

Red Wasp waited for what seemed like forever. To say she was tense was a massive understatement. Sure, she’d dreamed about being back in action since Ladybug had given her a pep talk close to a year ago. Sure, she’d been keeping in shape and taking martial arts classes in the hopes that this day would come. At this moment, absolutely none of that mattered.

She was standing on a ledge waiting for Ladybug to lead her former best friend, both of their former best friend, into a trap so she could take his second Miraculous in as many days. How had he gotten to this point? She had switched schools before he seemed to be headed too far down this path, but after knowing what he’d said to Marinette maybe it had been going on longer than she thought. Thinking back to when they were all kids she couldn’t help but wonder when everything had gotten so messed up. So backwards. She wanted to blame it all on the arrival of Hawkmoth, but she couldn’t help but wonder how much would have happened without his interference.

She was pulled out of her thoughts as she heard voices approach. She took a deep breath and waited for her cue.

\------------

Ladybug watched from behind a chimney as her former partner continued down the street. She was close enough now to hear what he was yelling. He was calling for her to come talk to him and calling for whatever coward had stolen the Black Cat Miraculous to return it. On the plus side it didn’t seem like he knew they were one in the same.

“You ready Trixx?” The Fox Kwami nodded and gave out a short hum. Ladybug watched as her doppelganger appeared two roofs over where Chloe was situated. It was close enough for her to hear, but far enough away that she could give Trixx directions so he wouldn’t hear her. The illusion was wearing her old outfit and called down to the street.

“You seem far less bent on destruction than most Akuma’s, and it seems odd you’re only looking for Chat’s Miraculous.” Best for everyone if he thought she had no idea what was really going on. She watched as Adrien turned towards her voice and smiled. She was startled as the boy jumped up on the roof with no warning and no help. Trixx watched her body language and mirrored it with the illusion. It was impressive if strange to watch.

“You don’t need to be afraid of me M’Lady. I’m not an Akuma victim.” She watched her own face scrunch up in confusion and saw the wary look in her eyes. She was thinking she needed to give Trixx free reign more often. “It’s me, your pawsome partner.” He puffed his chest out and she rolled her eyes. She idly wondered if he realized that watching him preen like that while wearing the Peacock Miraculous was a far better pun than any of the ones that had ever left his mouth.

“I don’t believe you.” The voice was flat and the illusion had their arms crossed over their chest frowning at the boy. They couldn’t have him get suspicious and there’s no way she would just believe him without proof.

“Well I could just detransform and show you except that you refused to trust me enough to share our identities.” Had he always been this petulant and petty? She didn’t think so but she was starting to wonder. “How about this. My Kwami’s name is Plagg and his favorite food is Camembert. Your’s is Tikki and she favors cookies. We’re obviously soulmates but you refuse to admit it and keep claiming you’re bonded to someone else which is absolutely absurd.”

Trixx actually growled low in their throat at that comment but Ladybug just patted their head and gave a nod. That nonsense was more than enough to make her believe he was her partner.

“And I’ve explained to you more than once how soulmate bonds actually work. But that’s completely beside the point right now. Care to explain the costume change if you aren’t an Akuma?” She was stalling but also hoping to get a better idea of what he knew. She looked at the side of the building and saw Red Wasp waiting for her signal. Now she just needed to get him into position.

“Someone stole my Miraculous. The Guardian lent me another one so that I could help you find it since I am the one true Black Cat.”

“Boy doesn’t have any ego problems does he?” Ladybug struggled not to laugh at Trixx’s muttered comment. Now was not the time.

“You told me you’ve never met the Guardian.” She watched as the other Ladybug frowned at him and slowly backed away. They were betting on him following so they could lead him where they wanted him and weren’t disappointed. He actually strutted as he followed her movements.

“They came to me personally about this whole business. Apparently someone managed to erase some of my memories and stole my Miraculous from me. We have to find it.” The illusion was still slowly backing away when suddenly a whole city block went dark. It wasn’t close to them but they all turned to look. Adrien let out a deranged little giggle. “I guess someone woke up early.” 

“You know something about that?” The voice was far less accusatory than hers would have been and the illusion kept looking between him and the darkness in confusion.

“Lets just say that my parental figures are a bit of a nuisance. I needed to make sure they won’t interfere until we’ve had time to get my Miraculous back.” He started stalking towards the illusion once again and Ladybug was ready to be done with this. She didn’t know what he’d done but she started to hear anxiety in Damian’s song. He was nearly in position.

“What did you do Chat?” Her tone was admonishing and apparently enough to send him over the edge. He lunged for the illusion and Ladybug signaled to Red Wasp. Faster than she’d ever seen the girl move before Red Wasp was on the roof behind Adrien with her stinger in his back. He dropped immediately just as the illusion vanished. Ladybug flew over to the roof and looked down at the stunned form Chat.

“Crap hero, crappier villain.” Red Wasp’s voice dripped with disdain. Ladybug just sighed as she reached down to remove the Peacock Miraculous. 

“We need to get to the Agrest Mansion and figure out what’s going on. I sent reinforcements there to gather information. Could you carry him? I had the honor last night and given everything that’s happened…” Red Wasp just nodded. She restrained him with zip ties before throwing him over her shoulder. Ladybug raised an eyebrow at her and Red Wasp blushed.

“They come in handy when guys get a bit too friendly, or I need to keep a mugger in place to wait for police to show up.” Ladybug offered a short laugh and nodded.

“I suppose they would. Lets go. I don’t think anything worse than the lights going out happened but we need to know for sure.”

“Lead the way Bug.”

Ladybug had a ball of dread building inside her and she wasn’t quite sure why. Taking his Miraculous had been too easy, both times. He was unstable, careless. She knew his father wouldn’t be. She had the same feeling now that she’d had on Hero’s day while everything was falling apart around her. She just hoped it was her anxiety talking and not some sort of premonition. 


	38. Trust

Red Wasp’s venom wore off as they landed on the roof of the Agreste Mansion and Adrien started struggling immediately. Ladybug rolled her eyes before looking at her partner who seemed tense. It took her a minute to figure out why but when she did she pulled Red Wasp aside.

“You’re Pollen’s true chosen and even being apart your bond has grown so your timer’s longer. You should still have close to ten minutes.” She spoke in a soft whisper, the words barely making it to her partner’s ears. She looked relieved then turned to scowl at the boy cursing at them.

“So Ladybug, do we actually need this pathetic child or can I throw him off the roof?” He glared at her, sputtering, before his curses picked up again. Ladybug just rolled her eyes before she saw a blur at the edge of the roof. She slowly walked towards it as Wasp and Adrien continued to snipe at each other behind her. She felt a familiar presence before Plagg came into view. She moved them out of sight of his former holder.

“Plagg do you have any idea what Adrien did here?” The Kwami blinked, obviously not the question he was expecting.

“He’s the one who did this? He must have had help then. I’m perfectly willing to believe that he made or bought whatever let off the EMP but he’s never had any interest in programming so that virus or whatever it was had to have been made by someone else.” Ladybug hummed in thought. “Your soulmate’s getting a bit antsy down there. The EMP took out his phone and the timer.”

“Is there a way for us to get in the house?” That must have been why she felt him start to panic earlier.

“Not that they’ve found, and trust me they’ve been looking. I know you don’t like using the Miraculous Cure outside of battle but…” She was shaking her head before almost as soon as he started talking.

“You know that the balance has to be maintained. This is a residential block and even then very few houses were affected. If I cast the cure there’s nothing stopping it from pulling power from a hospital to compensate. Maybe it would be harmless but I’m not about to take that chance.” She frowned in thought before sighing. “The fastest and easiest way would be to let him transform and take out one of the guards on the window. Red Wasp’s transformation isn’t going to last forever.”

“So does that mean I have your permission to tell him how to use the Miraculous?”

“Yes. Pull him into another room first and tell him to detransform as soon as he has a window cleared for us. I still don’t want to agitate Adrien with a new Black Cat. He’s bad enough already and I would like to get answers out of him sooner rather than later.” God she was tired. The past couple days had been stressful enough but added onto the last year, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to relax. Now everything was coming at her so fast. Getting the Cat and Peacock Miraculous back could certainly be counted as a win but at what cost? She didn’t want to face Hawkmoth head on let alone when he was feeling cornered but that’s exactly what was about to happen. The second he set foot in Paris all hell was going to break loose.

“Breathe kid. What’s done is done. Just remember, you’re not alone anymore. You’re going to be able to face what’s coming with your soulmate, his family, and big mouth over there at your side.” She gave him a small smile for his efforts.

“Thanks Plagg. You should probably head back inside before he works himself up again.” Damian’s song was tinged with frustration and it was getting worse by the minute. “Just let me know when it’s safe for us to come in.” The Kwami gave her a sarcastic salute before phasing back into the house. She just shook her head at his departure.

“Wasp.” When the girl looked over at her Ladybug motioned her closer. Adrien was still spouting obscenities and insults but they just ignored him. “Before we go in there I should probably explain a few things.” She stopped, because how was she supposed to explain this? Chloe wasn’t stupid. Seeing Gotham’s heroes here in Paris would be odd enough but having the Waynes here as well she was almost bound to see through it. The only thing that kept her from knowing Marinette was Ladybug was the Miraculous magic. The vigilantes didn’t have anything like that. She had to make a decision, quickly. 

Option one would be to send her home. It would be the safest and easiest way to not compromise anyone. Ladybug felt nauseous just thinking about it. When she tried to explore why she came up empty but she knew better than to just ignore that feeling. Option two would be to have some of the Bat family sneak out before she saw them so at least they wouldn’t match up person to person with the Waynes. She had almost the same reaction to that possibility. Option three was to just go in there and deal with the fallout, whatever it may be. There was no negative reaction to that possibility. 

That settled it on her end. Everything in her was screaming that they all needed to be together, splitting up for any reason was not an option. She needed to talk to Batman first though. Try to figure out if he was comfortable with someone else finding out who they were. The mansion was big enough that she could keep Chloe away from them even if she didn’t like the idea. She sighed in frustration.

“Scratch that. Once Plagg gives me the okay I’m going to take Adrien in. Do you have anything on you for Pollen to eat?” The girl just nodded. “Okay. Then you stay up here and recharge. I need to have a word with my friend inside before I introduce you.” A hurt expression crossed her face and Ladybug cursed internally.

“If you want me to leave I will.” Her tone was neutral but even behind the mask she could see the hurt.

“No I don’t. I trust you Wasp. You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t but I’m not the only player in this game right now.” Ladybug didn’t want to admit it but acknowledging that chafed. She’d been on her own for so long she’d almost forgotten what it was like to work with others. It’d been even longer since she’d had to worry about someone questioning her decisions. Damian’s family had let her browbeat them into compliance because of the immediate threat but she had a feeling that wasn’t going to last. Not to mention she needed to respect their privacy and bringing Chloe in with no warning wouldn’t sit well with any of them.

“You and I have a lot to discuss and I promise we will, but I have to focus on the immediate threats and problems.” She gave her former bully a lopsided smile. “On the plus side you aren’t either one of those things.”


	39. Whipped

Robin was pacing in front of Nightwing with a scowl on his face. Plagg had said Ladybug was here and phased through the wall with no other information. He hated waiting, hated not knowing. He could feel his soulmate’s exhaustion, even her pain if he concentrated hard enough, but she still felt calm so he had hope that whatever her plan was it worked. Even if their end of it had turned into a disaster.

“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor Baby Bird.” He just glared at his oldest brother. None of them understood. The only one besides him that had a soulmate was Cass and she never talked about the bond either. He had a feeling she felt about the same way he did about it. It would explain some of her random ‘vacations’ that she took out of the blue if she felt her soulmate coming closer and decided to leave so they wouldn’t find her. He wasn’t sure he would have taken it to that extreme but he understood the urge. 

Now that he had found her though, there was nothing that would keep him apart from her. Damian wished he knew how much was the bond and how much was just because of the situation. Would his need to be near her go away once the danger was over? Would she even want to be around him at all once she made new friends and rebuilt her life? Would they start annoying each other once they were no longer in life and death situations constantly? He knew all of these questions were pointless but they kept repeating in his head anyway.

“Hey kid, come with me.” Damian cursed as he followed the Kwami. He’d been so distracted by his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed Plagg’s return. He needed to get his head back in gear and stop thinking about what ifs.

“Is she alright?” Everything else was secondary. Plagg blinked at him before shooting him a feral grin.

“You’re definitely her Black Cat.” Damian frowned at him annoyed by the lack of answer. “Yeah, she’s no worse off now than when she left you. Apparently Red Wasp did the majority of the physical part, and it apparently wasn’t much of a fight.”

“That’s good. Does she have any suggestions on how to get out of here?” 

“Yes and no. She seems to be rather set on staying here, though I don’t understand why. She wants you to transform and Cataclysm one of the window guards so she can get in and then detransform.” He rolled his eyes. “She still doesn’t want Adrien to see another person wielding my Miraculous because of his mental state. I think she still thinks she can get through to him. Though I will admit he’s likely to stay more lucid if he’s not freaking out over a different Black Cat flirting with his Lady.”

“She’s not his.” Damian’s voice was a dangerous growl. “She’s not some trinket to be claimed and I won’t stand for anyone treating her that way.” Plagg raised an eyebrow.

“Even you?” The Kwami sounded genuinely curious. Damian stopped the immediate retort that came to mind. He tried to remember his actions and words over the past two days. He hadn’t treated her like that had he? He had overstepped more than once, that was certain, but had he actually tried to control her, to make decisions for her with absolutely no regard for her thoughts or feelings? He didn’t think so, but he looked at Plagg warily.

“Especially me. I’m inside her head so it would be an even bigger trespass for me to disregard her in such a manner.” Plagg hummed in agreement.

“True but at the same time since you are in her head you might decide that you know exactly how she thinks or feels. You won’t feel like it’s overstepping because you assume it’s what she would want.” He opened his mouth to protest but snapped it shut again. What the Kwami said made sense. He wasn’t known for sitting around doing nothing. He could certainly see himself charging into a situation, certain it was the right thing to do, without actually talking to her first. Isn’t that what he’d done when he basically told her she was transferring schools? It didn’t help that he didn’t really take other people into consideration at all when he made decisions. His brothers would testify to that.

“If she lets me keep you, even temporarily, it’ll be your job to tell me when I’m doing something like that. There’s no way I’m turning into that idiot.”

“And do I have permission to do whatever it takes to stop you?” Plagg was floating right in front of his face, holding his gaze. Damian paused before answering.

“Short of death, yes.” Plagg raised a brow at him. “Marinette doesn’t deserve to live in silence because of something I did.” 

“We’re going to get along just fine kid. And for the record, the fact that you care about her feelings at all tells me you’ll never be like my former holder. Even before you met you put her safety first. Adrien never truly did that. Even when he was protecting her it had more to do with his wanting praise for being a hero. Praise from her for being an idiot.” The last was said in a growl almost identical to the one Damian used earlier.

“Alright Plagg. Tell me how to transform so I can carry out Ladybug’s orders.” Plagg let out a snort and Damian pretended not to hear when the Kwami say ‘boy’s whipped already’ before explaining what he needed to do.


	40. New Cats

Damian called for his transformation and blinked at himself in the window. The first thing he noticed were the ears. Black cat ears stuck out of his hair and he really wasn’t a fan. He experimented for a moment and found that he could move them. Better yet if he laid them back they were hidden in his hair, though he doubted he’d be able to concentrate on that most of the time. He decided that the tail was the real problem. Unlike Chat Noir, his tail was real, or at least as real as his ears. He could see how it would be helpful for balance but it would need time to grow on him. His eyes would be unsettling to enemies and looked far more like an actual cats than his predecessor’s had. The rest of his outfit was much better.

His suit was pitch black and didn’t have that stupid bell thank god. He started to look closer at the material and realized that he actually had spots, just like a black leopard. You didn’t notice them unless you were close and looking but they were definitely there. It also didn’t look like leather and wasn’t skin tight which he was grateful for. He’d never hear the end of it from his brothers. He had a utility belt around his waist and a bandolier crossing his chest. As he touched each section he knew instantly what was in it. Rather than bullets in the bandolier there were vials. Poisons, acids, toxins. It was a bit unnerving but he was also certain that all the vials wouldn’t break unless he willed them to. On his belt he had many of the things he used as Robin, just upgraded by magic. He pulled out his weapon and studied it for a moment. It looked like the baton the previous holder had used except it appeared to be granite rather than metallic in color. He could extend and retract it like normal. When he held a button on the side down the baton split lengthwise into two handles. As soon as they were completely separated, blades sprang out. They were slightly curved, not quite like a scimitar but close. The last thing he noticed where the knives. There were multiple sheaths built into the suit. They didn’t restrict motion at all but made it so that he’d be able to reach one in almost any position. In that moment he decided he really did like Plagg.

But he would have to take stock of his assets later. He walked over to open the window before calling on his power. He took a moment to study the feeling. It was a raw power, alive almost. It was under control but he got the feeling that it wouldn’t take much to tip it into chaos. It also felt familiar. It reminded him oddly of the resonance he’d felt right before Marinette had touched him for the first time. It was strange but somehow comforting. He didn’t have time to dwell on that either though. He touched the guard and it disintegrated instantly. He called off the transformation and Plagg floated in front of his face.

“Can’t say I’ve felt that before.” The Kwami seemed to be studying him. It made Damian more uncomfortable than he would like to admit.

“Shouldn’t you be telling Ladybug to come in now?” Plagg just rolled his eyes before darting out the window. Damian waited impatiently. 

“Little help?” Ladybug was hovering outside the window holding a limp Adrien. He quickly grabbed the boy and pulled him roughly through the window before dropping him on the floor. “That wasn’t very nice Robin.” Her tone was pure censure but her eyes and song held laughter.

“It’s more than he deserves.” He took her hand to help guide her through the window before grabbing Adrien once more and throwing him over his shoulder. “Where’s your partner?”

“I asked Wasp to wait outside while I speak to Batman. I didn’t want to just spring her on you guys without discussing it.” He nodded and led her to the room they were keeping Nathalie in. He practically threw Adrien in a chair and may have bound him a bit tighter than necessary but no one said anything about it. Red Robin was still trying to figure out if there was a way to salvage any of their electronics, but Red Hood and Batman simply watched.

“Why is he just sitting there? Shouldn’t he be struggling or something?” Ladybug sighed and rubbed her temples.

“I had Red Wasp use venom on him again so that he didn’t flail while I was carrying him. I didn’t want to accidentally drop him. Once it wears off he’ll probably start cursing at us again. Batman may I have a word outside?”

“You have no right to hold us here.” They all looked at Nathalie. Damian would admit he was impressed by her impassive demeanor. His soulmate was not.

“Given that Adrien was roaming the streets with this I have to disagree.” She held up a broach and the woman actually flinched. There was panic in her eyes now. “And since it’s obvious you know what this is I’m certain this is the right course of action.” They were all distracted by Red Robin throwing down his tablet and cursing in multiple languages.

“It’s useless. I’m pretty sure that EMP fried everything. I’m going to have to go find a phone somewhere so that I can order replacements.” His tone was sullen and Damian couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he watched a grown man act like a toddler.

“No need, you can use this.” Ladybug opened her Yo-Yo and handed it to Red Robin. As he started using it his eyes lit up. 

“This is so fast! What kind of processor does it use?”

“Um, a Miraculous one?” Damian just shook his head before herding both her and his father out of the room.

“What did you need to discuss?” Damian noticed his father used a gentler tone than his normal Batman voice but Ladybug still fidgeted before speaking.

“I left Red Wasp on the roof for the moment. I trust her implicitly but I don’t want to make decisions that affect you and your family without your consent. You don’t have magic to protect your identities and I believe that she’ll be able to put together who you are if she meets you all here. I know she wouldn’t betray your trust or mine but if you’d rather not risk it I understand.”

“So you’ll just have her leave if I say no?” Ladybug was shaking her head before he even finished.

“No, I’ll just bring her in and make sure she stays in a different part of the house. I feel like it’s a very bad idea to separate right now. I can’t really explain it but I’ve had this feeling before. It’s always disastrous when I ignore it.” She looked down but not before Damian saw tears in her eyes. He’d barely registered that when a wave of pain and guilt tore through her song leaving him feeling like there was a vice on his chest. Was he supposed to react this strongly to her emotions? It felt different than before and he wasn’t sure why.

“Well…” Before Batman could answer properly Red Robin raced out of the room practically throwing Ladybug’s Yo-Yo back at her.

“There’s some banshee asking for you and yelling nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense!” Red Wasp’s voice came through the Yo-Yo and her face was livid on the screen. “I want to know why the new Black Cat holder is up here trying to attack me.” Ladybug blinked at the screen and then him in confusion. Plagg flew up to hover in front of her and shrugged.

“Wasp, I’m looking a Plagg right now.” The girl let out a scoff.

“Then why is there a woman up here running around in a catsuit trying to get into the mansion.” Ladybug looked at them and they all just shrugged, until they heard a voice in the background yelling at Wasp to surrender. Red Robin cursed, Batman pinched the bridge of his nose, and Robin let out a groan. He turned to his father with a glare.

“I take it you forgot something?”


	41. Bat in the Doghouse

Robin landed on the roof, just behind Ladybug and Batman. Nightwing, Red Hood, and Red Robin stayed behind to keep tabs on their prisoners. To say the scene before him was tense was an understatement. Catwoman stood glaring at what had to be Red Wasp. For her part she was pretending to ignore the woman across the roof by studying her nails. She would have looked completely disinterested if not for how tense she was.

“Catwoman, what are you doing here?” Batman’s words cause the woman to turn her glare on him and narrow her eyes. Robin gaped at his father. He’d been kidding but apparently the man had actually forgotten. He braced himself for the explosion and stepped between both adults to shield Ladybug. If Catwoman attacked his father, which he thought she had every right to do at the moment, he wasn’t going to allow his soulmate to get caught in the crossfire. Ladybug felt his tension and motioned Red Wasp further back as well.

“I was invited to Paris by someone who may not be surviving my trip.” She didn’t move but it was amazing how much fury was in her words. Batman stiffened and Robin couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “As to why I’m here specifically, Oracle called me when she lost contact with you, since she knew I was in the area.” 

Robin was slowly backing away from them towards the edge of the roof, making sure to take the two girls with him. Some might say he was abandoning Batman to a threat. He preferred to look at it as leaving him to face the consequences of his actions without other casualties.

“Robin.” Both adults looked at him and he just glared at his father for bringing attention back to him, and the girls with him. He wondered if the man realized there were now two people on this roof who wanted to kill or maim him. He felt Ladybug’s hand on his lower back moving in soothing circles and heard her song take on a peaceful quality. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Wasp’s surprise at the action. “Are you planning on going somewhere?”

“Having identified the party involved I felt it would be prudent to go back inside to our primary mission and let you two talk.” His words and tone should plainly have conveyed that he thought Batman was at fault for the situation and he was certain they did. His father disagreed with his assessment.

“I need to talk to Ladybug’s companion to see if she’s trustworthy before she’s allowed in the house. Why don’t you and Ladybug take Catwoman inside and explain the situation.” Oh hell no. The man forgot he invited his fiance to Paris for a romantic weekend and thought he was going to clean it up? He let out a growl before responding.

“You broke it, you fix it. If you want us all to stay as witnesses to your demise we’ll stay but I’m not about to act as your stand in so you can wait until things cool off. If you wanted a mediator, you should have brought Nightwing.” Most of his words were said through clenched teeth. He heard a snort of laughter from beside him and caught the amusement on Red Wasp’s face. He could sense confusion and a sliver of amusement in Ladybug’s song. Catwoman was studying him and finally noticed Ladybug touching him. The expression of shock on her face would have been hilarious if not for the situation.

“That’s an order Robin.” Catwoman turned back to glaring at Batman as Robin scoffed.

“There’s only one person I’m taking orders from right now and it’s not you.” His tone was dry and sarcastic but he didn’t even register the actual words that came out of his mouth until Ladybug’s shock hit him full force along with the dumbfounded expressions of the other’s on the roof. He just had time to wonder if he could or should blame it on Plagg’s influence when he heard the Kwami’s quiet laughter from his collar.

“Ladybug.” Batman’s tone was annoyed and he tensed at the fact it was directed at his soulmate. “Tell Robin to do as I say.” Her song flared with anger before she controlled it and he wanted nothing more than to take her and go. Catwoman was looking between the two of them obviously trying to figure out what she’d missed.

“He’s not a dog and given he knows the current situation far better than I do I trust his judgement.” Her tone was firm and left no room for argument. Batman just looked taken aback but he heard Catwoman let out an appreciative hum.

“I have no idea who you are sweetheart, but I like you.” She jerked a thumb in Batman’s direction. “Anyone who can put this one in his place is all right in my book.” Robin let a small smile appear. To hear his future mother, assuming she still wanted to be after this disaster, say she liked his soulmate loosened something in his chest he didn’t even know was there. Maybe it’s because he figured that of all his family, she would be the hardest to impress.

“I’m Ladybug, hero of Paris. It’s nice to meet you.” She stepped up next to him and looked between the three of them. “I have a feeling we’ll be getting to know each other very well in the near future and I hope you keep that impression of me. Why don’t we all go inside? With the black out I’m sure police will be in the area soon and it’s not the best idea to be up here and exposed when they do.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea. We can talk and maybe you can tell me who designed your suits. They’re quite stunning.” Catwoman held a hand out to Ladybug and they walked to the edge before disappearing over it. Red Wasp gave him and his father a calculating glance before following. Robin stayed put glaring at his father for a moment before grappling back in the window. Batman waited over five minutes before joining them. 

“So tell me dear, how did you manage to tame this one?” Catwoman pointed to Robin as he entered the room. “Honestly I’d think he was under the influence of something if not for his temper.” Robin just glared at her. Ladybug gave him an inquisitive look and he just nodded. She was going to find out soon anyway.

“I wouldn’t say that I’ve tamed him. He’s just extremely protective of me right now because we’re soulmates.” She said the words simply, as though it were nothing out of the ordinary. Neither Catwoman or Red Wasp felt the same.

“You’re what?!” The two women practically screeched the words at the same time and he now had a ringing in his ears.

“Hang on, you said you had a new Black Cat. Did you mean him?” He could see the gears turning in Red Wasp’s head and understood why Ladybug was concerned she would figure out who they were. He didn’t really care at this point though. If she trusted the Wasp, he would as well until she gave him a reason not to.

“Yes. Plagg and Tikki agree that he’s a true Black Cat and I know he’ll never turn on me like the old one.” She gave him a proud smile that he basked in even as he promised himself he’d live up to her faith in him.

“Okay, time out.” Catwoman was looking between the two of them as though she’d entered an alternate dimension. Given their history it wasn’t a bad guess. “You two are soulmates?” They both just nodded. “Since when do you have a soulmate?” God he was getting tired of that question.

“Since always.” She looked about ready to explode again. “No one knew about it. I never said anything.” Her expression turned to confusion.

“Why not? Most people who have one shout it from the rooftops.” Robin looked away before answering. While he was certain she’d understand he didn’t really want to see pity on her face. It would just feel wrong for some reason.

“When I was young it was deemed an inappropriate subject.” He chose his words carefully. No need to give everything away to Red Wasp before they decided how much she should know. “After that it just never seemed relevant to anyone but myself.” Catwoman gently took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. She searched his eyes, he had no idea for what, before turning to Ladybug.

“You’re going to have your hands full with this one. I’m glad he has a soulmate though because I don’t anyone could get through to him if they weren’t in his head. He’s lucky to have you.” Ladybug just shook her head before meeting his eyes with a smile.

“I’m the lucky one.”


	42. Revelations

The moment was shattered when Red Wasp let out strangled scream. When he looked over she was gaping and point between him and Ladybug. The song in his head sounded resigned and her sigh matched. She walked to stand in front of Red Wasp.

“Yes.” That was it but it seemed to be enough. The girl’s attitude flipped almost instantly and she rolled her eyes.

“Of course it’s you. It couldn’t be anyone but you. No one else would be stupid enough to give me a second chance.” Despite the words she had tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. Ladybug smiled and put a hand on her shoulder.

“I gave you a second chance because you earned it. You’ve worked hard to become your best self and I know you’ll continue to learn a grow. I’m proud of you.” The girl didn’t answer, Damian got the feeling she might burst into tears if she did. “Now that that’s out of the way, Spot’s off.” Marinette detransformed and the reactions were quite amusing to him.

“Why would you do that in front of one of Gotham’s rogues?” Red Wasp was trying to shield Marinette from Catwoman’s view but his soulmate just waved her off.

“It’s okay. She’ll figure it out once she sees my civilian form with his. He trusts her so I do too. Besides I can’t stay transformed too long or Tikki will heal me and the police will assume everyone who said I was faking my injuries was correct. I really can’t afford to draw that kind of attention right now.” Red Wasp nodded grudgingly but still kept eyeing Catwoman like she was a threat. For her part Catwoman ignored her and went over to look a Marinette. She gently put a hand under her chin to get a good look at her bruised face.

“Sweetheart, what happened?” His Angel blew out a breath and he could feel how tired she was and how tired she was of that particular question. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to his chest. She sank into him immediately.

“I let myself stay in a bad situation far longer than I should have.” She smiled up at him and he relaxed without realizing it. He hadn’t thought about how tense he’d been. “Robin pulled me out of it. He saved me.” She crossed her arms over his and he could feel her weariness wash over her. 

“You need to sleep Angel. Since you can’t let Tikki heal you, you need to rest.” She shook her head and sighed.

“We need to interrogate those two and I’m the only one who really knows what questions to ask. I can’t afford to be caught off guard when Hawkmoth returns. Not to mention I need to train you to use your powers properly and get you and Red Wasp used to fighting with each other. We’ve only got days before this entire thing blows up in my face, if that.” Tikki flew up from her spot in Marinette’s purse to hover directly in her chosen’s face.

“Marinette you have to rest. You’re no good to anyone if you collapse from exhaustion you can do all of that in the morning.” She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by Catwoman.

“What in the world is that?” Tikki flew over into her face, possibly a little too close judging by the way her eyes crossed.

“I’m Tikki, Kwami of Creation. I give the Ladybug Miraculous its power.” Catwoman just stared at the red creature in front of her for a minute before deciding she could come back to that later.

“Okay. Nice to meet you. Now what is all this about Robin being a black cat? And someone turning on you?” Marinette let out a sigh.

“It’s a long story and rather complicated.” Bruce chose that moment to enter the window and all attention turned to him. “I have a feeling you two need to talk and that’s more important at the moment. We’ll go sort out rooms for people to stay in and come up with shifts. Gabriel’s not due back for at least three more days and we’ve got a lot to prepare in the meantime.” She took hold of both Damian and Red Wasp to lead them out of the room, leaving Batman and Catwoman to figure things out.

“That was impressive misdirection Angel.” She gave him a lopsided grin before looking to Red Wasp.

“You know who I am and who they are. It’s completely your choice if you want to let them know who you are as well. I trust them but you don’t have to.” The girl just looked confused.

“What happened to ‘no one can know’? This is a huge risk you’re taking.”

“I know.” She sounded so tired and not just physically. “I just realized that I can’t do this alone anymore. If Damian hadn’t shown up when he did I’d either be dead or in the hospital and no one would have any idea what had happened to Ladybug. No one would have a clue where any of the Miraculous were. I have a duty to protect Paris and a duty to protect and pass on knowledge of the Miraculous. All of that is for nothing if there’s no one who can carry on if something happens to me.”

“Buzz off.” He hadn’t been expecting her to just cave in that quickly but when he saw Chloe standing where Red Wasp had been everything made a lot more sense. “You’re not alone. I’m here for whatever you need or want of me. I know I haven’t always been the best person, or most reliable, but I will do everything in my power to not let you down.” He felt a warmth flow through the bond at the girls words and if he’d been the type, would have hugged Chloe for making his soulmate so calm and comforted.

“And that’s why I want you to keep Pollen. You’re really the only one I trust here anymore besides my Parents. I would tell them, but I have a feeling it wouldn’t go well at first and I can’t afford to be distracted right now. Once Hawkmoth is stripped of his Miraculous I’ll explain things. Hopefully this will all be over once Gabriel’s back in the country.”

“Are you planning on using Adrien and Nathalie as hostages?” Marinette blinked at the girls question and Damian felt her shock. The thought probably hadn’t even occurred to her But he could feel the wheels turning in her mind now, trying to process the implications.

“I was just going to get information out of them. Like why he’s doing this. Hostages… wouldn’t that make us just as bad as him? He’s basically been holding all of Paris hostage for two years how would this be any different?”

“You take whatever advantages you can get kid.” Plagg came out of Damian’s collar to sit on his shoulder. “You have his home and his family. No one’s asking you to torture them or anything but using them as a bargaining chip is the smart move.” Marinette just frowned in thought.

“Maybe, maybe not. First he’s never seemed that fond of Adrien, more like the idea of a perfect son. I have no idea what’s with him and Nathalie. Until we find out what he wants the Miraculous for I think it’s premature to assume he won’t sacrifice them to get them. Especially if he thinks he can just make a wish and get them back. Second, he’s likely to send Akumas here to take over one or both of them so they can escape without him coming close. No matter how vigilant we are I don’t know that we can stop that.” Plagg just blinked at her but she didn’t notice since she was completely lost in thought.

“Then why send Batman here at all? What did this accomplish that just getting the Peacock Miraculous back from Adrien wouldn’t?” He sounded more like he was trying to figure out her thought process than questioning her actions. Damian felt like Plagg was testing her.

“It kept Nathalie from contacting Gabriel. Since news of this sort never makes it out a Paris intact he won’t have any idea what’s going on other than he can’t contact them. It may make him return faster but we’ll still have the advantage because he’ll have no idea we have everything but the Butterfly Miraculous. The less he knows the more likely we can control the situation.” The tone of her song was filled with doubt. She didn’t believe they could control anything, but she was right that knowledge was their biggest asset at the moment. 

“As much as I know you need sleep bug, I think you should talk to Adrien and Nathalie first. The opportunity isn’t something we can waste and it’s probably best to assume the worst. They could escape. Hawkmoth could have been notified as soon as the power went out and may be on his way back now. We really don’t know. Best to get all the information we can now just in case things go sideways.” Plagg’s tone was far more gentle than normal and even Tikki didn’t pop out to argue with him. Marinette was nodding before he’d even finished. 

“You’re right. Chloe you know the house better than us, could you sort out rooms for people to sleep in?” Chloe just nodded and made her way further down the hallway. “Damian-”

“I’m going with you.” His tone was firm and said that it wasn’t a request, but she just smiled at him.

“Of course you are. I was just going to ask you to try not to hover. I don’t want them to realize there’s a bond between us. It’s better if they just assume I asked the Justice League for help. Not to mention that you could give away the fact that I’m injured and that’s information I’d really rather they not have.” He nodded. The last thing he wanted was those two knowing any of her weaknesses.

“Of course. How about I stand behind them and hover that way?” She started to giggle uncontrollably but he couldn’t see what was so funny. She sobered up before calling for her transformation one more time. 

“Lets go see what we can get out of our guests shall we?”


	43. Unbalanced

When they walked in Adrien and Nathalie were yelling at each other while his brothers stood back and watched. He shared a confused look with Ladybug but she just pulled out her Yo-Yo and it looked like she was recording the conversation. They were likely to say more than they meant to this way than they would be answering questions.

“Adrien, I know you’re upset with your father but you have to understand, everything he does is for you.” Adrien snorted in derision, and Ladybug scoffed beside Damian. 

“Everything he does is for himself. Given the amount of times I’ve been personally targeted by Akuma’s I know exactly how much he cares about me. I don’t know why you’re defending him anyway. What do you think he’s going to do with you if he gets his wish? He’s using you and letting you get sick just to get what he wants.” Nathalie blinked at him without expression. Damian got the impression that she was trying to come up with a rebuttal.

“Think about what you’re doing. What will happen to you if something happens to your father?” She was being very careful not to implicate any wrongdoing. Unfortunately for her Adrien had no such filter.

“When he goes to jail for being a terrorist, I’ll be free. I can get emancipated and sell the company before it’s worthless. Ladybug will finally share her identity with me and we can be happy together.” Damian shared a look with his soulmate. The boy really was unhinged. Nathalie glanced over to them in the doorway and seemed at a loss. She recovered fairly quickly though. 

“If she loves you she would tell you who she is now. She wouldn’t keep secrets from you.” Damian swore he could feel Ladybug roll her eyes. Red Hood actually snorted.

“Of course she loves me. She just pretends she doesn’t to keep me safe. As for her identity, that’s the Guardian’s fault. He won’t let her tell me. And if you’re claiming that people who love each other don’t keep secrets then you’ve proven that my father doesn’t love me.” Nathalie just sputtered. Damian was rather impressed by the boy. How anyone could be that far from reality and still retain logic he had no idea. Plagg got Ladybug’s attention and motioned towards the door. She frowned at him but gave her Yo-Yo to Red Robin so he could keep recording and went into the hallway with Damian.

“I hate to say this and I honestly can’t believe I didn’t notice before, but I think that the Miraculous magic is at least partly to blame for Adrien’s mental state.” His ears and tail drooped and he wouldn’t meet Ladybug’s eyes.

“You mean the Peacock Miraculous?” Plagg shook his head.

“No, a damaged Miraculous inflicts physically repercussion, like with Nathalie, not mental. I think it’s because you two were never at the same level, never balanced.” She sucked in a sharp breath and Damian could feel her guilt in waves. It was almost enough to drown him.

“So it’s my fault?” The words came out in a hushed whisper and Plagg finally looked up.

“No Bug! No, this isn’t your fault. It’s ours. We have a rule that whenever complementary Miraculous are used together, the holders must have the same level of resonance with their Kwami’s. Fu knew of the rule but I don’t think he understood why it was made or why it’s necessary. I should have pushed harder and explained but I didn’t really think about it. It’s been so long since it’s been a problem and it never happened with a Ladybug and a Black Cat before. There’s a reason the tests to be a holder are usually far more rigorous.”

“So you’re saying if Adrien hadn’t been Chat Noir he’d be a different person?” She sounded hopeful. Even now Damian could tell she didn’t want to believe the worst of her former partner. After everything he’d done she still didn’t want to believe it was his fault. Plagg sighed.

“Yes and no. He definitely would have been more subtle but really all this did was magnify flaws there were already there. The last time this happened was with one of Trixx’s holders. They should never have been allowed near that Miraculous but the chosen of its opposite demanded it.” An orange Kwami came out from their hiding spot to hover next to Plagg. Seriously, how many of the things were there?

“It was my fault as well. I wanted so badly to be out of the box for a time. The Order never let us just leave the box on our own, we had to have holders. It wasn’t like with you where you let us interact with the world. I could have refused, but I didn’t.”

“What happened?” She honestly sounded like she didn’t want to know, but Damian could feel her sense of duty because as the Guardian, she needed to understand this. The two Kwami’s looked at each other but it was Plagg who answered.

“Trixx is often referred to as the Kwami of Illusion, but it’s more accurate to call them the Kwami of Deception or Deceit. Their opposite is the Kwami of Truth.” Trixx muttered something but all Damian caught was ‘uppity bastard’ before Plagg began talking over them. “At the time the Kwami of Truth had a holder with a very strong resonance. They insisted that their spouse should have the Fox Miraculous. It was clear to everyone that they weren’t at all compatible to Trixx, but they gave in.” Plagg looked at a loss so Trixx spoke up.

“Because there was such a large gap between their suitableness my holder, as the less compatible, began to suffer the effects of what is basically magical backlash. It started slowly. He would be extra paranoid or anxious. I didn’t think much of it since I was free. It got worse quickly and soon spiraled beyond any hope of help.” The Kwami took a deep breath that in a human Damian would have said was an attempt to keep from crying. 

“What happened?” Her voice was soft and she held a hand up to cradle the distressed being.

“It was a nightmare. My holder went completely insane and attacked everything and everyone he came in contact with. He was certain that everyone was out to get him. His spouse tried to stop him but...” Now there were tears. “They ended up having to find holders for Tikki and Plagg to stop him after over a dozen other Kwami’s holders had fallen.” They were all silent and Plagg landed on Ladybugs hand as well to comfort Trixx.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you Trixx.” She sighed and he could almost see her mind working through everything that had been said. “You said your holder was beyond help, does that mean that it can be reversed if caught early enough?” Both Kwami’s nodded. “Can we still help Adrien?”

“I’m not certain. I don’t think the damage can be completely reversed but you may be able to lessen it now that you have a Black Cat that’s just as compatible with me as you are with Tikki. The two of you should be able to do far more together than you’re used to, but Tikki would be the better one to consult about that.” 

“What about Nathalie?” Both of the Kwami’s blinked at her and tilted their heads in almost identical fashion. Damian had to struggle to hide his amusement. “If we can repair the Peacock Miraculous will it cure her? If not will I be able to do so after since it is damage caused by a Miraculous?” 

“Those are really questions for Tikki. I just make things go poof. It’s much easier.” Ladybug tried to hold a straight face but he could feel her losing that battle. It didn’t take long for her to be in an uncontrollable giggle fit. He had a feeling that it had more to do with how tired she was than Plagg’s words.


	44. Unhinged

They went back in to see Nathalie yelling at Adrien to tell who he got the virus from. Ladybug looked quizzically at Tim. He just shrugged. Damian glared at him before speaking.

“Did either of them say anything pertinent?” Tim handed the Yo-Yo back to Ladybug and shook his head.

“Not that we could tell but you’re more familiar with the situation. She seems rather insistent that the power be turned back on. Seems to think the virus is keeping the power off but we’re pretty sure it just hasn’t recovered from the EMP yet. Judging from what he said though the virus did erase everything on their network so I’m not sure what having the power back on will accomplish exactly.” Adrien was now mocking Nathalie by saying everything she said to him in that annoying kid voice. She finally snapped.

“If you don’t get the power on in the next hour your mother will die.” Everyone froze. The boys because they’d cleared the house and hadn’t found anyone else. They were all looking at each other trying to figure out who missed this. Ladybug just looked horrified.

“Mme. Agrest is alive? She’s here?” Nathalie flinched at the words. Judging from her expression she may well have forgotten the rest of them were there. Damian could see her trying to come up with an explanation but they were all distracted as Adrien burst into laughter. Damian looked at his brothers with unease. The sound was far too similar to what they heard when someone was a victim of the Joker. Nathalie didn’t seem to know how to react and just staring at the boy like he’d gone insane. Given what Plagg had said she was probably right. 

“You find the possibility of your mother dying amusing.” Ladybug’s tone was cautious, curious even. Damian could tell she was trying her hardest to not sound accusatory. Adrien turned to her with a smile that seemed a little manic.

“As far as I know my mother died three years ago. I’m sure this is just a ploy so that Nathalie can contact my father. He’ll pull me out of school and lock me away again once he finds out I know about him.” Damian couldn’t see his soulmate’s expression but her song consisted almost entirely of concentration and concern.

“How long have you known about your father?” The boy puffed out his chest. Nathalie looked like she wanted to interrupt but Red Hood moved beside her and whispered something in her ear. She went pale and stayed silent.

“I figured it out almost nine months ago.” Damian heard a noise come from his collar. Plagg sounded like he was being strangled. “He always thought he was so careful but I saw him use the secret entrance to his lair.” His gloating tone grated on Damian’s nerves though he wasn’t certain why.

“Clever Kitty.” Ladybug walked closer while motioning him to stay back. He wasn’t happy about it but it was her fight so he’d follow her lead. The boy’s smile brightened at the nickname and Damian started to feel nauseous. “Why didn’t you say anything to me? Were you worried I think badly of you because of who your father is?” Her tone was still gentle but the music of her song was starting to make his skin crawl.

“Of course not.” He scoffed like it was the most ridiculous thought in the world. “I couldn’t tell you until you admitted you love me. Without Hawkmoth there wouldn’t be a reason for us to be together as heroes and since the Guardian brainwashed you into thinking that I’m not reliable enough to know your identity I couldn’t risk him getting caught until we’re together.” He sounded like it was the most reasonable thing in the world. Damian was barely fighting the urge to punch him in the face. 

“Then why stay away from the fights? It was the only time we saw each other for the most part. How did you expect me to fall in love with you when you weren’t there?” Adrien shook his head and gave her the most condescending smile. 

“You’re already in love with me Bugaboo. You just refuse to see it. You need me and by having to fight alone you’ll realize just how much you rely on me. How much you need me. You’re nothing without me.” The boy was lucky Red Robin had a grip on Damian or he’d be in pieces. Even Nathalie looked at him in disgust. Ladybug didn’t even flinch.

“So you were doing it for my own good?” He nodded enthusiastically. “Is that the only secret you needed to keep from me Chaton? I bet it’s not. You’ve been busy making sure we have everything we need to be together once everything is finished haven’t you?” 

“Of course.” The smug look on Adrien’s face matched his tone. “The best part is that I know how to make sure we keep our Miraculous. All we have to do is get rid of the Guardian then there won’t be anyone to stop us.” A chill went down Damian’s spine. He was an assassin but for some reason this seemed worse. Maybe it was just how long he’d been around his father and the others but this felt even more wrong. He mentally facepalmed when he realized it was because his soulmate was the Guardian. 

“You know who they are then?” The boy shook his head and Damian heard her song grow a little calmer. 

“No but they’ll have to come to us if they want the Miraculous back so we’ll know then and be able to do what we need to. But don’t worry M’Lady, I’d never have you sully your hands with such a task. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”

“That’s very considerate of you Chat.” Damian wondered why she wasn’t using his real name. It was almost like she was afraid it would break the mood she was trying to create. “Did you learn anything else that might help with your father?”

“Oh, yes and that’s the best part. We just have to wait it out.” Everything in the room stilled. Apparently no one knew the proper reaction to that. His solution was to just let a terrorist have free reign? Damian didn’t think Adrien was even lucid anymore. 

“What do you mean?” Her tone was cautious but still that same soothing undertone to keep him talking.

“I was talking to Duusu before I went out and she said Nooroo is considering giving up the mortal plane. Once that happens, no more Hawkmoth.” Ladybug’s song descended into chaos. Emotions were shifting and changing far too fast for him to keep up with. When they settled all he heard was dread, outrage and loathing. She all but ran from the room, crashing into Batman as he and Catwoman were making their way to the room.

“Angel, what’s wrong?” She turned to him, her eyes blown wide in panic. There were tears streaming down her face.

“We can’t let that happen.” Her voice broke as she choked back a sob. He didn’t know what to do until she practically fell into him wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her gently as she cried sharing a confused look with his father. Plagg came out of his collar to stare at him with worried eyes.

“She’s right. If Nooroo forces himself out of existence the repercussions will be devastating for everyone. I can’t imagine what Gabriel’s been doing to him to make him even consider it.” Damian could tell the Kwami was enraged. Marinette’s transformation dropped and Tikki hovered next to Plagg.

“It won’t just be devastating Plagg. It’ll be worse than when you wiped out the dinosaurs. Losing Nooroo will create a void beyond anything we’ve ever seen. We cannot allow this to happen. Marinette is right, we need to end this as soon as Gabriel is back in Paris. If Nooroo is so desperate that he’s considering this as an option we can’t afford to waste time.” As if on cue the lights came back on once Tikki finished speaking. Damian raised an eyebrow at her and she just gave him a shrug and an innocent smile. 


	45. Preparation and Exhaustion

Damian could feel exhaustion coming through the bond. It sounded intertwined with everything else in her song. 

“Angel. You need sleep.” She started to move back and he held on a little tighter as he continued speaking so she couldn’t interrupt. “You need rest so that you can do what needs to be done. Tell us what you want us to do and what we should be on the lookout for. I know you’re used to handling things on your own and we won’t try to take over the situation.” He was staring at his father and waited for a nod of acknowledgment. “You can use us as you need to so that you can make sure you’re ready for whatever it is that’s coming.”

She looked up at him and her face mirrored the conflict in her song. It angered him that an offer of help was so confusing for her. It angered him that she had no one in her life she could rely on. But mostly it angered him that he’d wasted so much time trying to find her without really looking for her. This was his fault as much as it was anyone's and now that he was here he’d be damned if he let her run herself into the ground.

“I…” There were tears in her eyes but the relief and gratefulness in her song gave him hope. She took a deep breath. “Someone needs to take Nathalie and find out if she was telling the truth about Mme. Agreste. Probably Red Robin since he’s the most likely to be able to get whatever life support system they’re using back in working order. Don’t let her out of your sight and keep her restrained though. I’ve never seen her lose her composure like that so I’d be willing to bet she was telling the truth, but she could still use it as an excuse to either escape or get word to Gabriel. We need a phone and someone needs to call my parents and tell them I’m staying with you.” Batman cleared his throat and she turned to look at him without letting go of Damian. 

“Oracle is having phones and other devices delivered to the hotel. I’ll go pick them up shortly and bring them back here.” She nodded and closed her eyes in thought.

“Chloe is getting everything set up for us to stay here for the time being and we need to come up with shifts so Adrien and Nathalie aren’t ever left alone. I’d say it’s best to leave them together to get more information and it’s probably best that we record them the entire time just in case.”

“Chloe? As in the mayor’s daughter.” Marinette blinked at him in confusion so Damian responded.

“She’s Red Wasp. She figured out who we were so I think she decided that it was only fair we know who she is as well. Selina, why don’t you take Drake and Nathalie to check her story. I trust you’ll be on the lookout for any tricks and won’t underestimate her the way my brothers would.” That produced a chuckle from the woman and a glare from his father. “You know I’m right, you raised them to be soft towards women. I honestly don’t know how you’ve all survived this long.” Selina was laughing so hard she was wheezing at this point though he really didn’t think it was funny. It was a weakness that could get them all killed, or worse get Marinette killed and he wouldn’t allow that.

“Don’t worry Baby Bird I’ll keep your brothers from doing anything stupid. You have my word.” She still sounded far too amused but Damian knew she meant it.

“See that you do.” Marinette was looking at the three of them as if studying an alien species. After seeing the way her family interacted he wasn’t overly surprised. He could tell she wasn’t quite sure what to make of their interactions but now was not the time to try and explain. “Angel, is there anything else you need us to do while you sleep?” She frowned and blinked up at him. Her song was muddled and he had a feeling her thoughts were too. 

“If she isn’t already have Oracle track Gabriel. He has no reason not to use his own passport and name to fly so we should have a heads up before he gets here even if he does leave early. As far as he’s aware I have no idea who he is and he has legitimate business to excuse his trip. However, if possible she might also want to keep an eye on airport surveillance just in case he’s more cautious than I’m giving him credit for. Either way we need to know when he’s going to be back in Paris. If there’s any developments while I’m asleep, tell Chloe to go find and detain Lila.” They all looked at her confused, but it was a voice at the end of the hall that answered their silent question.

“Lila is likely who Hawkmoth will send an Akuma after first. She’s proven more than once that she’s willing to work with him if it gives her a chance to hurt Mari or Ladybug. Even if there are plenty of people out there with negative emotions to prey on, she’s the one he can count on to share his goal of taking out the heroes of Paris.” Chloe was scowling at the wall as she talked obviously trying to keep her disdain under control.

“How is this girl still free if she’s working with a terrorist?” Bruce’s voice didn’t give much away but Damian could hear the edge of annoyance.

“Because you can’t prove that she is. Akumatized victims have no memory of the events once Ladybug purifies the Akuma, but I think that’s because they’re forced into it. I once saw Lila chase down and Akuma and before I left she mentioned things about the fights that weren’t in any of the news coverage. I believe that she retains her memories because she’s a willing participant. Whether that’s because Hawkmoth is hoping she learns from her mistakes or just is the way his Kwami works I’m not sure.” Marinette was nodding along with the girls words.

“I’ve made the same observations. She may even have a good idea who he is given that she’s spent so much time with Adrien, at his father’s behest. Regardless, I’d like her to be where we can keep an eye on her when Gabriel comes back.” Chloe nodded before turning to Damian.

“Fourth door on the left. I made sure to get her a room with a bathtub. Maybe you can convince her to relax for an hour at some point.” Before he could say anything Tikki flew up to Marinette.

“Leave the Peacock brooch out so I can study it while you rest. Hopefully by the time you wake I’ll know how to fix it.” She nodded at the Kwami but she was leaning more heavily on Damian and he could hear her song slowing. She was going to fall asleep on her feet at this rate. So he did the only logical thing and picked her up.

“I’m going to make sure she gets sleep. Do as she asked and if there’s any issues ask Chloe.” All the others seemed stunned by that proclamation and Damian rolled his eyes. “She knows what’s going on a lot better than we do and she’ll know when it’s necessary to get Marinette. If anyone wakes her when it’s not necessary, I’ll be feeding what’s left of them to Uncle Jagged’s pet.” He caught the look of surprise from his father and Selina but was down the hall and in the room Chloe had prepared before either of them could recover.


	46. Reflections

Damian woke to find Marinette on the floor. She looked to be meditating. In front of her was the Peacock Miraculous. Tikki was on top of her head while Plagg, Trixx, and Pollen surrounded the brooch on the floor. They had their eyes closed and he could see concentration on all their faces. 

“Damian.” Marinette’s voice was soft. She hadn’t even opened her eyes. “Can you come sit across from me please? Tikki doesn’t want to drain too much energy from me and it would help if Plagg could channel some from you.” Damian did as she asked and Plagg flew onto his head. He could feel the energy drain almost immediately but it was also gentle. He didn’t think it would phase him at all unless it went on for hours.

As he sat there, he couldn’t help but study her. Every interaction with her was so different from what he was used to. Even now, she hadn’t simply told him what to do, she’d explained why she was asking. She didn’t expect him or anyone else to blindly follow her. The only time she’d forced the issue was due to not having time to do otherwise. He’d always thought explanations were a sign of weakness, a sign of uncertainty. WIth her though, it was a matter of courtesy. She wouldn’t explain things if she didn’t care what he thought. Being able to read her song, he knew she wasn’t looking for reassurance. She simply wanted everyone to be aware of the situation and able to make an informed decision.

She wanted to believe the best in people, even when they didn’t deserve it. That was dangerous. That was why she had fractures and bruises. The one on her face was only now starting to fade at the edges from and angry purple to a sickly brownish yellow. He would never trust someone once they’d given him a reason not to. But she had also seen the best in Chloe and it had seemed to change the girl. Out of everyone, Marinette had chosen a former bully to watch her back. It was reckless and stupid, but she’d been right. Was it luck? Could she just see things he didn’t? She had wanted to believe her former friends weren’t monsters, but she hadn’t trusted any of them as Ladybug. She was reckless with her own life but not with her responsibilities. 

She refused to put herself first even when she should. He couldn’t help but wonder how much of that was her nature and how much was ingrained by the people around her. Now that they were together he could catch nuances in her song that he’d never really understood before. The guilt he’d felt from her for almost all their lives seemed to stem from letting people down. How many people had told her not to be selfish when she wanted to do something? How many people had only praised her when she helped them? How many people had made her feel like she was nothing unless she was giving her all to everyone else? As much as he liked her parents, he knew they weren’t completely innocent in this. She spent all her time trying to do the right thing and it was draining her.

That’s why she needed him as her soulmate. The thought clicked into place like a missing puzzle piece. Where her first lessons had been to help others, his had been to help himself. Where she’d be taught to show empathy, he’d only learned apathy. He knew that if they stayed with each other she’d teach him to value others while he would teach her to value herself. Some may think it’s a case of ‘opposites attract’ but they weren’t actually opposites. Yes they’d been taught different things but their base personalities were quite similar. They were both driven and focused. Both natural leaders in their own ways. Both willing to fight for what they valued. If they had grown up in each others lives chances are they would have switched what those values actually were. 

But that was neither here nor there. Could have beens weren’t worth contemplating. They were soulmates and right here, right now, they needed to balance each other out. He needed to protect her while she protected everyone else. He needed to be her grounding force when everything overwhelmed her. She would be his calm when he wanted to watch everything around them burn. She would be his conscious when his mother’s teachings were his only fall back. He needed her. She needed him. At this moment that was all that really mattered. 

His thoughts were interrupted by a bright flash of light coming from the brooch.It looked different, though he couldn’t have said how. Marinette’s eyes were open, staring at where it lay on the floor. She was frowning and he could feel confusion in her song.

“Tikki? Did it not work?” The Kwami flew off Marinette’s head to examine the brooch before she lit up with a huge smile.

“It worked. Duusu needs to rest and regain her strength, but the Miraculous is whole again and can be wielded safely.” She slumped in relief and gave a tired smile.

“What about Nathalie? Will this be enough to cure her?”

“I’m not sure. At worst, she’ll simply stay in the state she is now. We’ll know more once Duusu wakes. You should keep the Miraculous on you until that happens just in case.” She went to grab it but Plagg spoke first.

“Trixx and Duusu don’t get along well. If you’re not going to take the Fox Miraculous back right away you may want to give it to Damian so they’re at least not on the same holder.” Marinette gave him a wary look.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the last time you two shared a holder the results were… less than pleasant.” Tikki groaned and Pollen let out a short burst of laughter. Damian raised a brow at Marinette who just rolled her eyes.

“Let’s just say there’s a reason the Sphinx doesn’t have a nose and it’s also tied to the vast majority of myths about mummies coming back from the dead.” Plagg and Trixx broke into hysterical laughter while Tikki glared at them. “I believe I can trust you to keep them under control. If either one gives you too much trouble you can just renounce them so they go back into their Miraculous.” She took the pendant from around her neck and gently slid it over Damian’s head before carefully picking up the brooch and pinning it to the inside of her shirt so it wasn’t visible.

Marinette scooted closer to him until their knees were touching before reaching out with her good hand. He gently took it in his and felt her happiness and contentment through the bond. Even with everything going on around them this was a perfect moment. A moment they could just exist in each others presence and let their songs mesh and blend together. It was a moment he wanted to last forever. So of course it was interrupted almost immediately by a scream down the hall.


	47. Duusu's Revenge

Damian cursed internally and Marinette let out a long sigh before offering a wry smile.

“Pollen, go find Chloe.” Damian placed his mask on, he’d just slept in his uniform so that was all he needed to get ready. He couldn’t interpret the look she gave him as she whispered, “Spots on.” They carefully made their way down the hall but neither were prepared for the scene in the foyer. Catwoman and Red Robin stood with what had to be Nathalie in between them but she was covered in…

“Feathers?” Ladybugs voice caused the others to notice them. Red Robin started sputtering out that it just happened he didn’t know how. Nathalie was staring at her hands in horror. Catwoman just looked like she was trying hard not to laugh. She wasn’t successful but the sound was drowned out as Plagg showed himself and started cackling madly.

“I always forget Duusu has a sense of humor until they do something like this.” Ladybug looked back and forth between the Plagg and Nathalie. She would have seemed completely professional if he couldn’t hear the amusement in her song. She cleared her throat before addressing The Kwami.

“You think Duusu’s responsible for this?” Plagg flew up to Nathalie pretending to study her but Damian had a feeling he just wanted to laugh at her up close.

“Oh no doubt about it. Once you repaired the Miraculous they must have decided to repay their former holder for being abused. I’ve got to say I’m impressed.”

“Is it permanent?” Ladybug’s question caused Nathalie to let out a strangled noise. Plagg snickered and flew back to hover in front of Ladybug’s face. 

“I doubt it. Vindictive is more my thing. I’d bet she’ll be back to normal after one good molt.”

“And how long will that take?”

“Depends on how mad Duusu is. Worst case scenario a month.”

“A month!” Nathalie finally found her voice. “You have to fix this.” Damian Growled at the demand in her tone. 

“These are the consequences of your actions. Deal with it.” She actually flinched at the harshness of his tone. “This is what happens when you mess with powers you don’t understand or respect. If I were you I’d count myself lucky it’s not worse.” Before she could speak and piss him off further, Red Robin dragged her back towards the room they’d been keeping her and Adrien in. She turned back to Ladybug at the last moment.

“If this happened to me you need to check on Mme. Agreste again to she if she suffered any side effects.” Her shock was so strong Damian heard it echoing in his head.

“Wait, that’s why she in a coma isn’t it? She used the Peacock Miraculous.” Her face hardened and her fury was obvious enough that everyone could see it. “So rather than finding the Guardian and asking for help, or even asking me for help, Gabriel decided the best course of action was to terrorize Paris so he can make a wish that will only create more disaster and ruin?” She practically stormed up to Nathalie to look her in the eye. For all she was at least half a food shorter than the woman it was obvious she was looking down on her. “Robin’s right. Neither of you has any understanding of the forces you’re dealing with.” 

Red Robin pulled her away as Ladybug turned her back on the woman. Anger, sadness, and pain all came flooding into her song to the point that Damian almost felt like curling into a ball and crying. How did she deal with that much emotion without breaking? Catwoman was looking between them worriedly.

“Do we need to check on Mme. Agreste?” Ladybug took a few deep breaths and her song calmed considerably.

“It might be wise. We have no idea what type of holder she was to Duusu. I swear this entire family is cursed to have bad reactions to Miraculous.” She was rubbing her temples and Damian could almost see the tension headache forming.

“I’ll go back and check on her. You two should go back to resting for now. Oh, and your parents called. They set up an interview with the police for this afternoon. Bruce called in one of his local attorneys who has experience in both criminal and civil cases so you’ll have someone there who knows the system better than most of the police force.” 

Ladybug just nodded as her apprehension grew. Damian gently guided her back to the bedroom as she got lost in her thoughts. Her transformation dropped as soon as he closed the door but she didn’t seem to notice as Tikki hovered anxiously.

“You’re doing the right thing Marinette.” The girl just nodded and Tikki turned to Damian with a look imploring him to do something. He had no idea what. Making people feel better wasn’t really his thing and he was almost positive he’d come off as condescending if he tried to explain to her, again, that her classmates deserved whatever they had coming to them. 

“I’ll be there and so will your parents in addition to the lawyer Angel. We’ll get through this and I’ll eviscerate anyone who dares imply you’re faking your injuries.” That actually got a smile from her. Rather than push his luck with more words he sat beside her and pulled her into a loose hug. She seemed rather tactile so he was hoping it would help put her at ease. It may have worked a little too well because she was asleep again within minutes.


	48. Into the Lion's Den

When they arrived at the police station Damian sized up their little army and he had to admit it was rather impressive. Bruce and M. Castex, the lawyer, stood firm in their ridiculously expensive suits. The clothes said they could pay to have you disappear, their stances said they were about five seconds from doing so. Tom stood next to his wife looking more like a bouncer ready to crack a few heads than a baker. Sabine stood next to him, fury pouring out of her in waves. If Bruce could pay to have someone disappear, Sabine would be the one who actually carried it out. It was an intimidating ensemble by any standard and he was sure the impression he gave people added to the effect. The only one of them who didn’t look ready to murder someone was Marinette.

Damian could feel her internal panic and conflict. She was curling in on herself and looked even smaller than she actually was. He looked down at her and realized what a truly pitiful sight she made. The bruises covering a lot of her exposed skin were turning all sorts of sickening colors from the dark purples and blues to the lighter browns and yellows. Her eyes were bloodshot which just made the broken blood vessels in the one stand out even more. The cuts on her arms and the splint and bandages on her hand were almost ordinary in comparison. As much as he hated to admit it, the worse she looked the better in this situation. That thought was proven right as they walked into the building. Everyone they walked by stared at them, glaring until they got a good look at Marinette. He could tell by their shock that most of them had heard she was faking her injuries, just like she’d assumed.

The were originally led to an interrogation room. M. Castex told the officer to find a different space. One of the detectives from the night before choose that moment to appear and demand that he needed to talk to Marinette one on one. Anyone with a brain would have backed off but this man had neither a brain nor any concept of self preservation. The look Sabine gave him said she was contemplating body disposal methods. That look made Damian uncomfortable and it wasn’t even directed at him.

“I don’t care if she’s a minor! She needs to answer questions.”

“And she will, but you will find a space suitable for all of us and at no point will she be left alone with you. You’ve already tried to intimidate my client into silence once and I will not allow her to be manipulated or made to feel guilty about people attacking her.” M. Castex had four daughters. He was taking the incident at the hotel very seriously. “And you won’t be the one asking questions or taking her statement. You, your partner, and an officer Raincomprix will be getting instructions to stay away from this case, assuming you haven’t already and are ignoring those instructions.” The man’s ears turned red and he suddenly wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. “That’s what I thought. Show us to a conference room or leave, now.”

The man glared at all of them before stomping off while the original officer took them to a conference room. The poor man looked like he was about to wet himself as he went to get someone higher up the food chain to talk to them. While they were waiting, everyone else started to grow calmer but Marinette’s song was slipping further into panic. Damian scooted closer and put an arm around her. She immediately burrowed into his side and he felt a pang in his chest, though he wasn’t sure why. 

“It’s going to be alright Angel. We’re all here for you and nothing short of death is going to make us leave you alone.” He could hear the smile in her song and even though he couldn’t see her face he could picture which one she currently wore. He wondered if it was strange that he could be so certain about that when he’d only known her a little over two days. 

“I know. I just wish this was all over with.” She tightened her hold on him and whispered in a broken voice. “They were my friends. I just don’t understand how this happened, how I got here.”

For all he wished he could answer her questions Damian had no explanations to offer. Instead, he held her a little tighter and kept his song strong and steady. She was slowly calming down until a voice sounded from the doorway.

“It really isn’t necessary for you all to be here. We just have some standard questions for Mlle Dupain-Cheng so the rest of you can wait outside.” The tone held authority and she was obviously used to people following her orders. She was about to get a rude awakening. M. Castex stood and squinted at her nametag.

“Officer Girard, if you’ve been briefed on this situation at all you would understand why it is in fact necessary for us to be here. Regardless you will not be talking to my client alone. We will remain silent unless it is absolutely necessary but I will not hesitate to end this interview if my client feels uncomfortable or threatened. The Mayor’s office has already gotten involved once and I will not hesitate to inform him of any inappropriate behavior.” Damian was really starting to like the lawyer. Just watching the faces of the officers he’d come in contact with was priceless entertainment.

“Your client? Last I checked she was claiming to be a victim. If that’s the case there’s no need for a lawyer. You being here seems to indicate she’s being less than helpful at best and guilty of criminal acts herself at worst.” Damian heard a low growl come out of his mouth and would have laughed at the woman’s startled reaction if he weren’t so pissed off. Bruce shot him a warning look but Sabine just gave him an approving nod.

“Officer are you aware of what happened last night at the Grand Paris?” Bruce’s tone was ice but the woman had the audacity to scoff at him.

“I’m aware that two officers tried to take her statement and she refused. The lack of cooperation tells me she’s hiding something.”

“Is that what they claimed? Allow me to set the record straight. Those two officers didn’t question Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. In fact one of them immediately launched into a lecture on false reporting. Tell me Officer Girard, would you be in a cooperative mood after basically being accused of lying for no reason other than the police force not wanting to believe you?” The woman just frowned at him, but there was a hint of uncertainty.

“No one on the police force would intimidate a victim that way. You obviously misunderstood.” M. Castex pulled a small device from his bag but Sabine spoke before he could do anything else.

“I don’t appreciate being talked down to and I take great offense to the implication that we’re lying about the encounter.” Sabine’s glare should have burned the woman to a crisp. She did seem to sense the danger, but was either too stubborn or too stupid to keep her mouth shut. Luckily for her M. Castex pushed play on the little recorder he’d brought and it replayed the entire confrontation from the night before. 

Officer Girard’s expression was quite interesting to watch. It started out confused before shifting toward recognition. As the conversation went on her face showed surprise and then horror before settling into a mask of steel. Damian was good at reading people but he had no idea what was going through her head.

“Please excuse me for a moment.” Her voice was flat, lacking any and all emotion. Damian shared a look with Tom and Sabine who both just shrugged at him. Not long after the woman left they could hear shouting. It wasn’t close enough to make out words but he could pick out at least four voices including Officer Girard. Perhaps they’d finally found someone on the police force worth talking to.


	49. Unexpected Ally

Officer Girard reentered the room shutting the door with more force than necessary. This time she had a file in her hand and she sat across from Damian and Marinette before speaking.

“It would appear I was given cherry picked information and downright lies about this matter. First I would like to apologize for my attitude. Regardless of what I was told I should not have let it affect my professionalism.” She was going through the file while talking crossing things out and making notes. “Now, let's start at the beginning. What exactly is the complaint. All I have here are medical records but there’s no record of what happened.”

“I would have thought the video made it quite clear.” Sabine’s voice was frigid causing the officer to look up. She blinked and looked around at all their faces, except Marinette’s who was still buried in Damian’s side. Whatever she saw there caused her to let out a frustrated sigh and drag a hand down her face.

“What video?” Her voice just sounded done. Damian was beginning to wonder what she had been told if they’d left out everything important. It was no wonder she thought something was wrong with the situation. Bruce pulled out his phone and handed it to the officer once he’d pulled up the video. As she watched one of her eyes started twitching but otherwise she didn’t react at all. “Did you send this video to us?” The question could sounded accusing but the way she spoke made it clear she was just trying to piece everything together.

“The doctor said she was going to send it with the medical records. I haven’t filed an official complaint or spoken to the police except for the incident last night.” Marinette had finally pulled herself away from Damian though her words were still soft and hesitant. It was the first time Officer Girard had seen her face and she looked horrified. 

“Is all of that bruising from this incident?” Marinette blinked at her and cocked her head in thought. Damian was certain he couldn’t be more pissed off about the situation but the fact that she actually had to think about that lit a new fire inside him.

“Everything visible is. I’m sure there were bruises on my legs and maybe some others that happened when someone tripped me or pushed me down, but nothing major.” Officer Girard’s eye was twitching again.

“How long has that been going on?” She was making notes and other than the facial twitch she seemed completely calm. 

“I guess the physical stuff started eight or nine months ago? But nothing like this has ever happened before. I’m sure they didn’t mean to take things as far as they did.” The woman’s hand paused before she very deliberately set her pen down and pinned Marinette with a searching gaze. Whatever she saw clearly agitated her.

“Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, what about this attack gave you the impression that these kids didn’t mean to hurt you? Especially given the alleged long term bullying you’ve been subjected to.” Marinette just frowned at her.

“They’re my friends. They’re angry at me right now because they’re being manipulated and lied to but I know that deep down none of them would do something like this on their own.” The eye twitch came back with a vengeance. Damian could almost see the effort it took for her to remain calm.

“So you’re of the belief that this is more of an issue of a mob mentality and that gives them a pass? No, never mind, let’s start with what you mean when you say they’re being manipulated. Who exactly is doing that?” Marinette hesitated biting her lip until she hit her cut and winced. Officer Girard spoke again, making an obvious effort to soften her voice. “In order to understand the situation I need you to tell me everything. If someone is lying to your friends, they need to be stopped before anyone else gets hurt or your friends end up in even more trouble.”

“Lila Rossi.” Saying the name seemed to burst the dam. Marinette just started telling everything that had occurred, clinging to Damian’s arm like a life line the entire time. She started with the original lies then the threats the girl had made. Next came the advice from Adrien and the dismissal from her best friend. She listed the subtle changes in her classes behavior to her and finding out about the lies Lila had been telling them about her. The claims that Marinette was bullying the girl and her being isolated. Everything she said kept getting worse and worse. Through it all she was rationalizing and excusing their behavior. His father and her parents all had horrified looks on their faces.

Officer Girard was calmly taking notes the entire time. She wasn’t visibly reacting to any of it and Damian had a feeling that was why Marinette kept going. By the time Marinette recalled the events from the video she seemed drained. Damian could tell this was the first time she’d let herself talk about everything that had happened. Possibly the first time she’d even admitted some of it to herself. When she finished talking Officer Girard took close to five minutes to continue with her notes before she looked Marinette in the eye again. 

“Marinette, what you’ve just described is a pattern of abuse from almost all of your classmates yet you’re still trying to excuse their behavior. I don’t care if someone convinced them you’d committed murder, there’s no excuse for what you’ve told me. When you find out someone may be bullying another student you report it. You don’t start bullying them in return.”

“Our principal had a habit of letting things slide in order to not create more conflict. They probably thought reporting it wouldn’t do any good.” Marinette’s voice was small and she was fidgeting again. The officer sighed and rubbed her temples.

“That still doesn’t excuse taking matters into their own hands like this. I assume you’re all here because you do want to press charges and go forward with an investigation.” Everyone nodded, though his Angel did so with far less enthusiasm than the rest. “Alright, I’m going to need any proof you have of all the abuse as well as the lies that were told if possible. I’m going to need to interview Damian once I get all my notes sorted and watch the video a few more times. After that I’ll explain the best option for charges. The one who slapped you is an easy assault charge, but the others may not be so clear cut. The fact that there’s an officer’s child involved explains a lot of the communication issues I’ve had so far. I promise I won’t let that affect me but I can’t speak for anyone else. As much as I dislike the idea, things might go a lot smoother if you don’t press charges against her. That will be your decision.”

No one looked happy with that idea. M. Castex looked highly offended by the concept while the rest of them were somewhere between disgust and contempt. Officer Girard ignored the reactions and pulled out two business cards. One she wrote on the back of one before handing it to Marinette.

“That’s my personal number. Use it if you need to talk to me about anything. I hate to say it but I don’t trust anyone here to deliver messages properly. There’s far too much nepotism in the force.” She fiddled with the other card for a moment before handing it over as well. “This is a therapist I know who specializes in trauma and abuse victims. She can help you work through everything and I hope get you to stop blaming yourself for what other people did. Even if you don’t want to see her specifically I hope you’ll find someone to talk to about all of this.” She looked to Tom and Sabine and received nods of understanding from both before she stood.

“I need to go over everything and do some research before I do any other interviews. I have a feeling this is going to get messy and I need to have as much information as possible to keep this investigation up and running.”

M. Castex gave her his business card and asked that any communication go through him before they all thanked Officer Girard. For all she made small talk and acted like nothing was out of the ordinary there was something about her that made Damian certain she was getting ready to go into battle. They had just fired the first shots in this war and none of them were lucky enough for him to think anything would go smoothly.


	50. Unwanted Advice

When they exited the police station Bruce saw M. Castex off while Damian and Marinette said goodbye to her parents. They had to head back to the bakery but were more than happy to leave their daughter in the Wayne’s care for the time being. Given everything Damian was surprised that they would trust them so easily. When he said as much to Marinette she just shook her head at him.

“You’re my soulmate. I can hear your emotions and they know that I’m comfortable with you and what I hear. They’ll trust my judgment unless we give them a reason not to.” Damian still didn’t understand it, especially given what had happened to her. He was fairly certain that Bruce would have them in lockdown if anything similar had happened to any of them. “We should get back. Chloe might kill someone if she’s left without proper supervision for too long.”

“My brothers are there, I’m sure she’ll be fine.” Marinette raised an eyebrow at him before looping her arm through his.

“I stand by what I said. Selina might have been able to keep her in check but since she had to leave to take care of things elsewhere there’s no one there that can get her to back down. None of your brothers stand a chance if she decides to do something rash.” He could tell from her song that she believed what she was saying but surely his brothers could handle one fifteen year old girl, super powers or no. He was forced to admit his error twenty minutes later when they reentered the mansion to find Nightwing and Red Hood cleaning. Like with mops and brooms and everything. 

“What are you doing?” They both just glared at Damian but didn’t stop working.

“How dare you leave us here alone with her. Do you have any idea what we’ve been dealing with?” Red Hood’s tone was somewhere between pissed off and awe but Damian just scowled at him.

“I did not leave you alone. There are three of you and one of her. It couldn’t possibly have been that bad.” The boys just grumbled and Damian could hear a smug satisfaction in his Angel’s song.

“I tried to warn you before we left but none of you listened. She’s been entrenched in politics her whole life. She can talk just about anyone into anything and if she can’t she’ll just bulldoze over you to get to her goal. Where is she anyway?” 

“Last we knew she was with Red Robin trying to antagonize the bird lady. Not sure why though.” Jason grunted sourly as he scrubbed the floor. Marinette frowned in thought.

“She never was fond of Nathalie but she doesn’t do anything without a better reason than that. I’d better go check on her.” Damian watched as Marinette transformed and left the room before turning back to his brothers.

“What’s on your mind Baby Bird? I can hear you thinking from over here.” Damian scowled at Red Hood before turning to the lesser evil in the room.

“How do you protect someone or fix a situation without letting the person know that’s what you’re doing?” Both his brothers blinked up at him before bursting into laughter. “It’s not funny. I need to be able to protect my soulmate but she has been clear that I have no say in her decisions so I need to do it without her knowing.” Red Hood was still laughing but Nightwing was frowning at him.

“Okay, first your soulmate is protected by tiny gods who seem rather devoted to her. I don’t care how badass you think you are they’ve got you beat. Second, I’m sure she’s willing to listen to any concerns you have about her welfare, even if she makes decisions you don’t agree with. Given your propensity to take charge even when you shouldn’t I’m going to assume she told you to back off and let her have the final say, correct?” Damian nodded. “Did she still listen to your advice?” He nodded again. “Did her final decision take your concern and advice into account?”

“Yes but given the situation stricter security measures should be in place and I can’t risk that she’ll say no.” Nightwing sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“That’s not your call. You need to talk to her and tell her your concerns. Has she ever been completely unreasonable when you talked about things before?”

“No.”

“Then you need to trust that trend to continue. The girl is smart, thinks things through, and has been willing to listen to feedback from all of us. Just talk to her. I know it’s not something you’re used to but I’m sure you can compromise with her even if she doesn’t agree with whatever overprotective bubble you have planned out in your head.”

“She doesn’t want my input.” Nightwing just rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure she didn’t say that.” 

“She said she doesn’t want me making decisions for her.”

“You do realize that’s not the same thing right? Tell me, when you offer suggestions instead of out right telling her what to do what does she normally decide to do?”

Damian opened his mouth to answer but stopped to think about the question. Once he explained his thought process to her she usually took his suggestions. He also realized that she always explained her reasoning to him unless she was pressed for time. She didn’t tell him what to do, just explained her thought process and he saw that she was right, so he did what she wanted. She was asking him for the same treatment. 

“But what if she refuses to listen or take my advice?” He couldn’t let anything happen to her, not again.

“Then you respect her decision and stick to her like glue to make sure she stays safe. She’s already proven to have a good head on her shoulders and she’s not going to intentionally put herself in harm's way. If she doesn’t want to take your advice, I’m sure she’ll have a good reason. I’m sure she’ll explain it in detail too. Stop obsessing and just talk to her.” 

“What if I can’t keep her safe? What if she won’t let me?”

“That girl has let you stay with her almost the entire time since you met. She’s listened to your neurotic overprotective ramblings and for the most part humored you. If she hasn’t she’s given you a reason for it. You need to stop looking at her like a helpless civilian you have to take care of. I realize how hard that is for you, especially given how you met, but you have to treat her like a partner. Treat her like an equal because she is. She’s your soulmate, your other half. That means she’s just as capable as you are of making rational decision about her life.” 

Damian just scowled in annoyance before storming out of the room. Maybe in a couple of days he’d be willing to admit that Grayson made some good points. Right now he needed to find his soulmate and discuss possible security measures.


	51. Unexpected Side-Effects

When Damian found Ladybug she was talking intently with Red Wasp. As he got closer they both turned to look at him. He wasn’t a fan of feeling like he was under a microscope, let alone two. 

“I know you’re used to combat.” Ladybug’s words caused him to frown. She sounded like she was trying to soften a blow. “But you’re not used to fighting with a miraculous. There is a gym here and I’m hoping you’ll agree to train with Red Wasp so you can get used to the powers Plagg gives you. We need to be ready and that includes you being comfortable with your powers.” 

Damian just frowned at her for a moment before he realized that she expected him to fight her on this point. He focused on the way she’d said the words and the hesitance in them. After watching her bark orders at his father it hadn’t occurred to him that she would ask instead. He certainly hadn’t ever had anyone really take his opinion on such things into account. 

“Of course. The last thing I want is to endanger you because I can’t fight correctly. Though, maybe I should train on my own. I wouldn’t want to hurt you while sparing.” The last was directed to Red Wasp and the girl scowled at him.

“Bring it on you pompous-” Ladybug cleared her throat and cut the other girl off.

“The Miraculous will make it difficult for you to hurt each other unless you’re actively trying to cause injury. Since you will likely have to go head to head with an Akumatized victim it’s best if you practice with someone who’ll fight back. Not to mention Wasp’s skill level is nothing to be scoffed at. I’d rather spar with you myself but Tikki would kill me if I did in my condition.”

“I’m not fighting you in any condition.” The words were out before the thought had really formed and judging by the way she narrowed her eyes at him it wasn’t the proper response.

“Just because we’re soulmates doesn’t mean you have to treat me differently than anyone else. I know you don’t have a problem sparing with women in general so why wouldn’t you spar with me?” He knew there was no good answer to that question. He knew he should just keep his mouth shut. Unfortunately there seemed to be a disconnect between his mouth and brain. 

“Because we’re not at the same skill level. I could seriously injure you and I won’t take that chance.” He heard her anger spike before she pushed it down. Red Wasp was looking at him like he’d just poked a hornet’s nest. 

“You’ve never even seen me fight but you think you know my skill level?” Her voice was low, dangerous. He knew that sound meant it was already far too late to salvage this conversation. “I’ve been protecting this city, mostly on my own, for two years, not to mention the training I had before that. I assure you I can handle myself.”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be injured. You wouldn’t have let them do that to you if you were as skilled as you claim.” Shut up! His brain was screaming at him even as his mouth refused to cooperate. He’d been trying to understand why she had simply laid there when her classmate’s were kicking her but even he knew his wasn’t the way to bring it up. What was wrong with him?

“Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. I wasn’t going to injure other people to save myself.” He gaped at her and even Red Wasp was side eyeing her.

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Why would you put the health of people who obviously don’t deserve your concern over your own? Even if you weren’t a hero responsible for protecting the city, your health should always come first.” He could feel both of their frustrations building. Too late he realized they were feeding off of each other. She scoffed at him.

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand given your upbringing.” The second the words left her mouth he felt guilt and contrition flood her song. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth and he saw tears in her eyes. “I didn’t… I don’t... sorry. I’m so sorry.” She ran off before he could say anything else. While he wanted to fix things he realized they both needed to calm down before they tried to talk again. They apparently amplified each others emotions when they were feeling the same thing. That wasn’t something he’d found referenced in any of his research.

“Come on. Lets go spar so you can work off some of the tension.” He blinked at Red Wasp before nodding. It was as good of an idea as any and he did want to be prepared for what was coming. “The only rule is don’t use Cataclysm. Ladybug’s the only one who can undo the damage and I’m not even sure she would be able to do that if you hit a person with it directly. For our purposes it’s unnecessary.” 

Damian nodded and followed her but wasn’t really paying attention. He was far more focused on the song in his head. He was supposed to be making things better not worse. How was he supposed to fix this? He was pulled out of his thoughts when Red Wasp flicked him in the forehead.

“You need to be focused here. If you can’t put things aside in this controlled environment, how are you going to react if she gets hit in battle? You can’t shut down or fly off the handle. You’ll just get both of you killed. The best way for you to protect her is to keep your head. If you want I can give you a technique to mute her song.”

“No.” She opened her mouth to argue but Damian didn’t want to hear it. “She can already hide things from me I’m not about to shut off what she’s willing to share. Besides, we’ll never figure this out or adjust to it if we just block each other out. That’s not how it’s supposed to be between soulmates.” She frowned at him.

“There’s no ‘supposed’ to be. It’s all about what the two of you want and can handle. For instance, any time I’m too close to my soulmate I hear them panic and they immediately get further away. Tell me, is your soulmate supposed to avoid you at all costs? You have plenty of resources and could have found Mari any time you wanted but you waited until now. Is that how soulmates are supposed to act? There are no rules and in this instance, the most important thing for both of you is survival.”

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt to learn it.” He was surprised by his words yet again, but she did make sense. They couldn’t afford to have this type of effect on each other in the middle of a fight. They couldn’t give an enemy that kind of advantage.


	52. A New Miraculous

Damian was getting frustrated. He’d been sparring with Red Wasp for an hour and hadn’t landed a single hit. Sure he’d got in a few glancing blows but nothing solid. He had to admit, she was much better than he’d expected. She avoided yet another punch and he actually growled.

“You need to outsmart her. Frontal assaults obviously aren’t working and I know you you’ve got a better head for strategy than this.” And to add insult to injury Marinette had joined them half an hour in to watch. He wasn’t sure what was more annoying. The fact that his soulmate was seeing his lack of ability to protect her or the fact that she was giving him advice on how to do something he’d been training in since birth.

“I suppose you think you could do better?” In the moment he was distracted Red Wasp took advantage and he was on the floor, again. 

“This isn’t a competition Damian. Fighting with a Miraculous is different than what you’re used to, we're just trying to help you adjust. Granted most Akumas won’t present as much of a challenge as Wasp but if Hawkmoth has any idea what’s going on we may end up with another Scarlet Moth situation.” He heard Red Wasp suck in a sharp breath and when he looked at her, her entire body had tensed. He was about to ask what they were talking about when a portal opened above them. 

His immediate response was to put himself between it and Marinette as she transformed. Red Wasp stood opposite him waiting for whatever was coming. All of a sudden a Kwami flew through it straight to Ladybug.

“Kaalki, what’s going…” Before she could finish a body came through the portal, landing hard on their back. As they coughed and sputtered Damian studied them. The person appeared to be female, but everything about them screamed androgynous. She had short brown hair that seemed to have red highlights running through it. Her eyes were a steel gray and the glare she sent Kaalki was murderous.

“If the Guardian wanted to talk to me you should have just said so. You didn’t need to just drop me here with no warning.” Her tone was dry but obviously annoyed.

“Wayzz thought it would be best to do things quickly.” She let out a scoff as she pushed herself up from the ground.

“Of course they did. Kwami forbid anyone ever give me a choice unless they have to.” She stretched and cracked her back before looking at the three of them. “Trust Fu to entrust the Miraculous to babies.” Damian couldn’t have said how old she was but she didn’t seem too far into her twenties. 

“Who are you?” Ladybug’s voice was strong, demanding even. The woman just smiled at her before offering a mock bow.

“You can call me Gen. I’m the Phoenix Miraculous.”

“You mean the holder of the Phoenix Miraculous?” Ladybug was frowning at her and Gen gave her a wry smile.

“No I don’t. Where’s Fu? If he sent Kaalki to kidnap me I imagine things are pretty grim.” Damian could feel Ladybug’s confusion. He wasn’t sure why exactly, but when she spoke it was to Kaalki.

“Why did you bring her here?”

“Since she is technically both a Miraculous and a holder we could not tell you about her ourselves. When you told Wayzz you wanted to be informed of things before they became pertinent the only way we could manage this information was to arrange a meeting. Wayzz insisted it was necessary.” The Kwami made it sound like the most reasonable thing in the world but both Ladybug and Gen were looking at him like he had a few screws loose.

“Why would Wayzz…” She stopped suddenly and started studying Ladybug intently. She let out a string of curses, most in languages he couldn’t identify. “Fu’s dead and you’re the new Guardian.” It wasn’t a question but his soulmate acknowledged it with a sharp nod anyway. “And he never mentioned me?”

“No, why should he have?” She just groaned.

“Kaalki why did you guys really decide to bring me here? You know the Guardians have always hated me interfering.” The Kwami sighed.

“We never held the same prejudice towards you as the Guardians did. Fu died before he could finish Ladybug’s training and the only one alive to continue his teachings is you. We thought perhaps it was time to put the past behind us.”

“Nixx, what do you think?” Another Kwami appeared seemingly from nowhere. This one was at least three times the size of the others he’d seen and looked almost exactly like a mythological Phoenix. Its feathers started at a dark orange close to the body, slowly turning red towards the tips. The head was a little out of proportion to its body, but nothing like the other Kwami’s. It flew directly to Ladybug to study her before answering.

“I sense no malice in this one, though there is much confusion and pain. It would be nice to be allowed around my fellow Kwami once more, but the decision is yours. I will not take the free will you have fought and died for so many times.” The woman scowled at the floor in thought while the rest of them tried to understand the conversation.

“If you want my help I will give it, but you should probably understand my history before you make that decision. My view of the Guardians is jaded and will cast them in a light you aren’t used to. I’m sure the other Kwami will temper my bitterness but it may make you wary of any information I give you.”

Damian hissed a warning when Ladybug stepped around him but she gave him a reassuring smile before walking up to the woman. Gen’s body language was interesting. The wary look in her eyes along with the way she leaned away from his soulmate made it seem like she was expecting to be attacked. Strange. For her part Ladybug looked like she was trying to solve a puzzle. He felt a shift in her song moments before she detransformed.

“I’m Marinette. It’s nice to meet you and I’d be honored if you could teach me.” Gen just looked at her like she was insane.

“That’s it? No questions, no concerns, just hey let me show you my identity so you have leverage over me. I remember Fu being slightly less uptight than those before him but I don’t believe this is behavior you learned from him.” Marinette just smiled at her.

“The Kwami’s trust you and brought you here to teach me. It’ll be much easier if you know who I am. Besides, you look uncomfortable so I thought it would help.” Gen frowned at her, her nose wrinkling in confusion.

“You’re a strange one that’s for sure.”

“I”m strange? You introduced yourself without any knowledge of us either.”

“Well yeah but that’s because it doesn’t matter. It’s not like you can do much to me that hasn’t been done before. Hell, they even Cataclysmed me before and I’m still here. You knowing who I am is of no consequence.” Marinette stared at her face completely blank. Damian could hear her confusion and horror.

“Why would they do that?” The words came out in a strangled whisper. Gen just shrugged.

“I started out as an experiment that went both far better and far worse than they’d hoped. I was the very first Miraculous created and it was honestly an accident. I can’t tell you how many times they tried to destroy me so they could attach Nixx to an object the way the did the rest of the Kwami. Unfortunately for them Nixx was the worst Kwami they could have tried that with.”

“Why’s that?” Marinette sounded like she already had an idea but wanted confirmation. Gen didn’t disappoint.

“Because Nixx is the Kwami of Renewal and Reincarnation. Once they bound us together I effectively became immortal. While I can still die, and have many times, I never stay dead. Think of it like plants. They go dormant in the winter but once growing season comes around they’re given new life. Nixx was the third Kwami to come into existence, almost like the offspring of Plagg and Tikki. They’re the embodiment of the balance between creation and destruction.”

“So, how old are you exactly?” The question came from Red Wasp and she almost sounded like the words were being dragged out of her.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” They all just looked at her expectantly and she sighed. “I wasn’t educated and it wasn’t really something anyone figured I needed to know but I’m fairly certain I was born between 3400 and 3300 BCE, though I may be off a little.” None of them seemed to be able to react to that until Red Wasp let out a few strangled words.

“Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.”


	53. The Origin of Soulmates

Gen turned to Red Wasp and frowned in thought. “Your soul seems familiar, you don’t happen to know who any of your past lives were do you?” Red Wasp just shook her head while the woman hummed in thought. “It’ll come to me eventually I’m sure.”

“What do you mean her soul is familiar? Like the soulmate bond?” Gen let out an amused huff at Marinette’s question..

“No. Soulmate’s didn’t even exist until Nixx and I merged so I don’t have one. This is just knowing I’ve met someone before. Between being alive so long and being connected to Nixx I have a sense for people’s souls. I can tell good from bad a mile away and each one is unique so I can usually tell if I’ve run into the same soul before, even if it wasn’t this lifetime for them.”

“Are you claiming that you created soulmates?” Damian’s knew his tone sounded offensive but Gen didn’t even blink.

“Yes and no. Part of the magical backlash from pulling Nixx into this realm and attaching them to a human was damage to all the souls in the vicinity. When a person with a damaged soul died that soul split into two which is how soulmates were created.”

“But one in five people have soulmates. If it was just those few who split it wouldn’t account for that.” Gen winced at Marinette’s words.

“If that were the only time it happened you’d be right. Unfortunately every time I die the same thing happens again. The current percentage is due to my garbage luck putting me in the middle of major battles including the Mongol sacking of Baghdad and Dnieper. They both had extremely high casualties and even more survivors all of which were in range to be affected. I tend to only die in well populated areas which doesn’t help.”

“What happens if someone who already has a soulmate is there?” Red Wasp had finally found her voice. 

“Nothing. The soul can only be damaged like that once thank goodness. Though there have been a few rare instances of a soul splitting into three rather than two, but it’s all from the initial incident.” 

“Exactly how many times have you died?” Marinette sounded like she didn’t want the answer to that question. Gen just shrugged.

“I stopped counting after fifty and that happened within the first year.” When Gen saw the horrified looks on Marinette’s and Red Wasp’s faces she offered an apologetic smile. “I tend to forget how that sounds to other people. If it helps, once I got out of the temple that rate dropped significantly.”

“It doesn’t.” Marinette’s voice was flat.

“It really doesn’t.” Red Wasp just sounded pissed. Gen looked at Damian and he just shrugged at her so she cleared her throat.

“Well enough about the past. The Kwami obviously kidnapped me for something urgent so what do you need my help with or need me to teach you?”

“I want to learn everything, but I suppose we should start with the most pressing issues. What can you tell me about the effects of a damaged Miraculous?” Marinette was so enthusiastic, Damian found it cute despite himself. Gen frowned thoughtfully.

“Well it can change depending on the Miraculous and hasn’t happened all that often. It’s really hard to damage one in the first place. But I suppose the most common is that it drains energy from the user more so than the Kwami. This creates an imbalance in the body which manifests in fatigue and weakness. If it continues long enough it could result in death.”

“Are the effects reversible?” 

“Not exactly. It’s just like healing from an injury. It takes time. But so long as the person isn’t dead it’s certainly possible to heal.”

“What if someone’s been in a coma for three years?” Gen blinked at Marinette in surprise.

“That shouldn’t have happened. Which Miraculous was damaged?” Marinette undid the broach and handed it to Gen. As soon as the woman touched it Duusu emerged and flew straight at her face. Damian was impressed that she didn’t even flinch. He’s pretty sure his first reaction to something flying at his face would be to swat it away.

“Gen! I’m so happy to see you” The Kwami latched onto her ear and Gen just laughed and cupped a hand over the creature.

“I’ve missed you too Duusu. Can you tell me how your Miraculous got damaged?”

“It was too close to Hiroshima when the bomb went off. It’s better now though. The Guardian fixed it.” Damian couldn’t help but be annoyed at the overly cheerful tone. He had no idea why but it grated on his nerves.

“And what about your holder being in a coma? Did you have something to do with that?”

“You have to understand that she only wanted to be free. I tried to warn her of the dangers of using a damaged Miraculous but it was the only way for her to not have people watching her constantly. Especially her husband.”

“I do understand, you know I do.” Gen was gently stroking Duusu who was still attached to her face. “But you didn’t answer my question.”

“She was getting weaker and he found out about me. She was afraid of what he would do and begged me to help. I didn’t know what else to do. Now people are suffering and it’s all my fault.” Duusu started sobbing while Gen tried to comfort her. She looked really confused though so she likely had no idea what had been going on in Paris.

“It’s not your fault Duusu. Gabriel made his own choices and you had no way of knowing how he’d react.” Marinette’s voice was soothing and the Kwami perked up immediately. “So if you put her into the coma, does that mean you can wake her up?” 

“Yes, but Gen and Nixx can help her heal far better than the rest of us. Well, except for Tikki but her healing comes with a price.” Marinette looked startled for a moment.

“Your healing doesn’t have a cost?” Gen rolled her eyes at Duusu.

“Everything has a cost. The difference in this case is that Tikki’s magic creates and uses outside energy whereas Nixx’s magic is that of renewal which draws energy from both the person and time so there’s no magical side effects on others.”

“Do you think it’s wise to wake her now?” Damian’s words earned him confused looks from everyone else. “I just mean she’ll wake up three years after the last thing she remembers and we’ll have to try to explain things including why we’re holding her son. Do you think she’ll have enough useful information to make it worth it? We can always wake her latter.” They all seemed to be thinking about his words but the feeling of dread in his stomach said not to get his hopes up. 

“I think we can’t just leave her as she is. Lets go.” He shook his head but followed his soulmate out the door nonetheless. His instincts were telling him this was a bad idea even if he couldn’t pinpoint why.


	54. Another Problem

When they approached the glass coffin Marinette had transformed into Ladybug and Damian was just Robin again. None of them knew what to expect if Mme Agreste woke and Marinette didn’t want to take chances and give her information Nathalie or Adrien weren’t privy to. Gen walked up to the device and immediately opened the case to get a better read on the situation, Ladybug not far behind.

“She’s going to be really weak but I can definitely wake her. I can heal her fully but it’ll take multiple sessions. It might be best to wait on that until we have a better understanding of her situation.” Gen spoke in a matter of fact tone while Ladybug frowned in thought.

“Isn’t that like withholding medical attention? I’m not a fan of letting someone suffer.” Gen just shook her head.

“No. Like I said, all I do is speed the healing process. It will happen on it’s own eventually so we’re not denying anything. The way I see it you’ve already got enough problems to deal with without another loose cannon running around. Honestly I’d say not to wake her at all but she may have information you need, or be good leverage to get that information from others.” Damian found himself nodding along to her words while Red Wasp was giving them both an appraising look.

“So you only want to help her so we can use her?” Gen blinked and cocked her head a little to study Ladybug before giving a long sigh.

“No. I would help her anyway just maybe not right at this moment. You’re in the middle of a war and every advantage counts. I understand that you’ve never been in this position before and likely are going to question my morals in situations like these. What you have to understand is that I’m working towards what is best for the Miraculous. In this case getting the Butterfly Miraculous back is my top priority. That may not align with what most people would consider right and proper.”

“It sounds like you’re planning on taking over.” Red Wasp’s arms were crossed and her tone hostile. Gen looked confused for a moment before mouthing what she’d said again. It took a minute but realization dawned on her face and she winced.

“That isn’t my intention at all. As I said before the Guardians hate my interference so I don’t have much experience working with others. I’ll offer my opinion but I will defer to your judgment if I can. If I can't, I'll just sit on the sidelines. This is ultimately your fight and I’m not trying to push you into doing it my way. I just don’t know any other way to voice my opinion.” Damian could hear something akin to pity in Ladybug’s song though he didn’t understand why.

“How long have you been alone?”

“I’ve always been alone. I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t play well with others or I don’t play well with others because I’m always alone. It’s kinda like that whole chicken and egg thing. Doesn’t really matter either way though, I’m used to it.” She didn’t sound resigned so much as flippant. It really didn’t matter to her. It did however matter to his soulmate if the agitated melody in his head was any indication.

“You shouldn’t have had to get used to it. It’s not fair, it’s not right.” Gen just shrugged at her which made Ladybug more agitated.

“That’s life. I’m sure you didn’t deserve whatever happened to you, but that didn’t keep it from happening.” She gestured at the bruise still visible on Ladybug’s cheek. “This world has never cared about the human definition of fairness, all it cares about is balance. The world is constantly trying to keep equilibrium and more often than not we get caught in the crossfire. I’ve long since stopped worrying about or being surprised by it.” The rest of them just stared at her trying to figure out if what she said was profound or just depressing. Damian decided it was a bit of both.

“Perhaps we should get back on point. Are we waking the woman or not?” He didn’t like being down here. There was something off about this place and he just wanted to get this over with so they could leave. The fact that his entire body was on high alert was bad enough but with no concrete reason why, he felt like he was going insane. Ladybug frowned at Mme. Agreste before turning the look at Gen. She just kept splitting her attention between the two, thinking. She looked to him and Red Wasp.

“What do you two think?” Red Wasp looked like a kid in a candy store. She rattled off her opinions and honestly it was hard to follow given all the fangirling she was doing. Damian waited for her to run out of steam before injecting his own opinion.

“I’ve learned to follow my instincts and they say that we shouldn’t be down here, but I’ll follow wherever you lead. I vote that this can wait but I understand if you don’t feel the same.”

Before she could answer Red Hood came barreling in shouting for them. Damian scowled at his brother who seemed too stunned by their new addition to speak properly for a moment. Damian clapped his hands loudly close to his brother’s face to get his attention on himself rather than whatever tangent it had wandered off to. Red Hood shook himself but once he laid eyes on Ladybug the remorse in his expression worried Damian.

“Nathalie escaped.” Dead silence reigned for a good forty five seconds as they processed that information.

“How did that happen?” Ladybug’s voice was calm, soothing almost. Her song was anything but.

“She said she was getting rope burns so Red Robin loosened her bindings to administer first aid. We thought she was supposed to be weak from using the miraculous.” 

“I warned you all not to underestimate her.” Her voice was flat and he could feel her trying to fit this new puzzle piece into the equation. “We still have Adrien and Emilie and Hawkmoth at least cares about his wife enough to have done this.” She gestured wildly around the room. “Now we have to wake her.”


	55. Frustration

Damian wasn’t entirely sure what was going on at this point. Red Wasp had started yelling at Red Hood for being so careless before dragging him out to go administer the same verbal lashing to Red Robin. His soulmate was pacing back and forth muttering to herself. He couldn’t catch the words but her song was extremely agitated. Gen was standing over the coffin talking to Nixx in a language he didn’t recognize. He was pretty sure everyone had forgotten his existence at this point.

“You sure you want her awake Ladybug? Seems like it’s just another complication at this point.” Gen had turned to look at the pacing girl while Nixx hovered over Emilie’s head.

“She very likely has some insight into this situation that we don’t. If she’s willing to help us she could be a great asset.”

“And if she’s not willing?” Ladybug had a troubled look on her face as she considered Gen’s words.

“You said you couldn’t heal her all in one go, so even if she doesn’t help it’s not like she can run off and become another problem.” She didn’t seem happy about what she was saying. At all. Gen nodded.

“Look, I can tell you don’t like making these kinds of decisions. As the Guardian you’re going to have to make a lot of them. You’re going to have to find a way to come to terms with that and move past these things. But if you don’t want to deal with this right now, I can do this alone. Just tell me what you want me to ask her.” Ladybug went from insulted to relieved to conflicted fast enough to make Damian’s head spin. He could tell she wanted to just let Gen deal with this, but she felt it was her responsibility.

“You can delegate when you need to. That’s why we’re all here. You can think of us like tools for you to use for certain jobs.” His words seemed to calm her a bit but she still shook her head. 

“I appreciate that and I promise to try, but this isn’t something that can be delegated. I’m the only one fully acquainted with the situation it’ll be far easier if I’m here. Gen won’t know when to ask follow up questions. Not to mention that Mme. Agreste will be confused and have questions of her own that very few people can answer. Adrien probably could but I’m not letting him near her until we have a better understanding of the situation.” Damian sighed but nodded. She made good points, he just wished she didn’t take so much on herself. Gen looked like she was studying her.

“I can see why you were chosen, and why the Kwami’s are already so attached to you. It normally takes them decades to warm up to someone. I’m pretty sure most of them couldn’t stand Fu for the first five years and that had nothing to do with what happened at the temple.” Ladybug looked like she was bouncing between happiness at the praise and annoyance at the slight to her mentor. She turned to Damian instead.

“Can you get everyone else up to speed and contact Oracle to make sure she’s tracking everything Gabriel might get a message on? And see if she and Red Robin can track her using the cities cameras, assuming Wasp has stopped yelling at him by now.”

“Of course. Do you want any of us to go after her?” He knew he sounded more hopeful than he should have but he didn’t like sitting around waiting for things to happen, but she shook her head.

“Not yet. I’d rather wait until we have some idea where she went. As it is you’d just be running around blind. If you find her with the cameras that’s one thing, but just running out there with no destination isn’t productive.” He knew she was right. He still didn’t like it but he turned to do as she said. Before he made it more than a couple steps she was next to him and took his hand. When he met her eyes he saw concern which was mirrored in her song. She was studying him but he wasn’t sure what she was looking for. 

“I’m sorry.” He just looked at her confused. “I keep bossing you around without asking for your input. I don’t want you to think that I don’t value your experience or that I’m just using our bond to manipulate you.” She looked worried and Damian could hear her fear again. Fear that he’d walk away. He cupped her face gently in his hands.

“Angel, I just told you to delegate and think of us as tools, I’m not going to get upset at you for following my advice. This is your city and your area of expertise so of course I’m going to follow your lead. I’m just used to being more active. We go out and find problems to fix, we don’t normally just sit around and wait for them to come to us. I’m going a little stir crazy but I know you’re right. I’ll get over it and I’m not going to blame you for doing what needs to be done.” Relief sang at him through the bond and the way she smiled up at him made him a bit lightheaded. That smile was new and it might have been wishful thinking on his part, but he felt certain that it was one she’d never given to anyone else.

“Thank you. I promise once things calm down I’ll make this up to you. It’s bad enough I forced you here because I couldn’t properly control my emotions, let alone everything that’s happened since you got here.” Damian had to take a deep breath before answering. He didn’t want her to think he was mad at her but in that moment he wanted to destroy everyone who had contributed to her believing everything was her fault and responsibility.

“You didn’t force me here and you shouldn’t have to suppress and control your emotions the way you do. None of this is your fault, there is nothing for you to make up for. As for the rest of this, I’m just glad I’m here so you’re not alone anymore. You shouldn’t ever have had to do this by yourself. I’m exactly where I want to be and I’m sure my family would say the same.” Her smile brightened even further before she stepped away from him.

“I still want to make it up to you. I’m sure when you came here you weren’t expecting all this. The least I can do is thank you properly.” She walked back towards Gen and Nixx before he could respond, but he took solace in the fact that her song was far more content than it had been. He seemed to be getting better at cheering her up and while he still didn’t understand her most of the time, he was making strides towards a middle ground. At this point he’d take any progress he could manage.


	56. Unknowns

Before Damian entered the elevator Plagg and Trixx both popped up in front of his face studying him. He waited for either Kwami to speak but they didn’t. He had every intention of waiting them out but quickly lost his patience.

“What?” The Kwami’s shared a look and Damian felt his eye twitch. Plagg was the one who spoke.

“The soulmate bond between you two is… unique. It might be necessary to ask Gen or Nixx about it at some point.”

“Unique how?” Plagg hummed in thought.

“It’s a lot of little things. She can control her song better than she should be able to. You can read each other’s emotions far more clearly than anyone else we’ve ever encountered. The way you were amplifying each other’s emotions earlier is particularly worrisome. Not to mention before you two touched the first time Tikki told me she could feel the resonance between you two and that’s never happened before.” Trixx was nodding along and Damian just frowned at the two of them.

“And this is a bad thing?”

“We don’t know. That’s the problem. Tikki and I have had our fair share of holders who were soulmates and none of this has ever happened before. We don’t know if it’s natural or not. We don’t know if it will cause problems. Most importantly we don’t know how else your bond may be different and affect the two of you. Going into a fight with Hawkmoth, who preys on emotions, when there are so many unknowns is dangerous.”

Damian was just scowling at the floor. He’d meant to look up more about soulmate bonds but never figured he’d need the information. Once he’d decided to find Marinette all his energy had gone into that. There had been a few times he’d wondered about certain aspects of their bond, but he just assumed he hadn’t looked deeply enough to find the proper information. It had never occurred to him that it was actually abnormal.

“So you think our bind could be detrimental in some way?” Plagg shrugged but Trixx nodded.

“There’s no way to know for certain until something happens. That’s why I think we should talk to Gen and Nixx because they’re more likely to be able to find answers than the rest of us. For all we know this has happened before, just not in Miraculous holders. Gen has always paid far more attention to the outside world than the rest of us so if there’s a precedent, she’ll know. If it’s new… well she’s the only one likely to understand it. There’s already more than enough things that can and probably will go wrong in this fight. I’d rather not have to deal with any complications from your soulmate bond.”

Damian ran a hand over his face in frustration as he let this new information sink in. There were so many moving pieces in this game, how did Marinette deal with all of this by herself? Yes he fought crime on a daily basis but to be honest most of it was fairly simple in comparison. Magic just made everything more complicated. Add that to the fact that while he had his family, she had absolutely no one to help her and the majority of the people in her life were actively trying to sabotage her. He honestly didn’t know how she’d survived this long. 

“Wait, have you ever had a situation like this before? One where the wrong holder was replaced with the right one?” Plagg thought about it before shaking his head.

“Not when the opposite Miraculous was active, why?”

“Well you all keep talking about the balance between Miraculous being off, especially the Ladybug and Black Cat. Add that to the fact that soulmates were created by making the first Miraculous. What if the imbalance caused by Adrien not being a true holder is caused a reaction in our soulmate bond since you claim I am a true holder? And now that I have your Miraculous could it be causing a whiplash effect from that balance shifting too suddenly?”

Plagg just blinked at him. Trixx’s only reaction was their ears twitching violently. Finally Plagg’s expression morphed into a feral smile. “This is why I like you kid. You think outside the box and you’re loyal to your Bug. I suppose that’s possible. As you pointed out we’ve never been in this situation. If you are right, we may need to be worried about your Bug suffering from other side effects. You need to stick as close to her as possible to mitigate that.” 

“What kind of side effects?” Damian’s voice was sharper than he meant it to be and the Kwami’s shared another look.

“We don’t know, but I have a feeling part of it was the bad luck that infiltrated Marinette’s civilian life. Whether that will get better or worse now, I haven’t a clue.”

Wonderful. Because he needed one more thing to be worried and paranoid about. As the elevator took him up he tried to decide how to bring this up to Marinette and whether he should talk with her or Gen first. He still didn’t have an answer when he walked into the room where they were still holding Adrien and found Red Wasp still yelling at Red Hood and Red Robin. Nightwing was standing in the background smirking, at least until Red Wasp rounded on him.

“And another thing!” 


	57. Waking

“You’re supposed to be in charge of this side show when Batman’s not here so why are you standing over there giggling at their screwup instead of trying to fix it?” She practically hurled the insult at Nightwing and as soon as the words were out Damian watched his brothers fly into motion. Nightwing walked to the new computer before realizing he had no idea what he was doing there. Red Hood and Red Robin actually ran into each other before shooting off in random directions with no actual idea of where. Damian let out a piercing whistle before anyone made it out of the room.

“Before you all scatter and do nothing useful, I’ve got instructions from Ladybug for Red Robin.” His brother looked like a deer in the headlights. His eyes kept darting between Damian and Red Wasp obviously trying to judge the sanity of staying in the room with the girl. “Tell Oracle to monitor any avenue she can think of that Nathalie could contact Gabriel. Once that’s set up she can help you try to find Nathalie on the police cameras.”

“What about us?” Damian just raised an eyebrow as Red Hood.

“Well given that one of our prisoners escaped I suggest you secure the other one better and keep an eye on him so that she,” He nodded to Red Wasp. “Doesn’t maim or kill you.” Nightwing and Red Hood shared a look before going into the next room to make sure Adrien stayed put. Damian just rolled his eyes before noticing the look Red Wasp was giving him. “What?”

“Nothing. Are Ladybug and Gen still with Mme. Agreste?” Damian just nodded and she frowned. “I always thought I knew this family fairly well, but I’ve been proven wrong over and over again. Even I’m not sure what to expect when she wakes up.” She sounded tired, much the same way that Marinette did. Damian was beginning to wonder if it had more to do with keeping their emotions in check than anything else.

“Have you slept at all since last night?” She wouldn’t meet his gaze and that was answer enough. “Go get some sleep. I’ll make sure these idiots don’t lose Adrien. The last thing Ladybug needs is her calvary dropping from exhaustion.” The last was added as she opened her mouth to argue. She nodded grudgingly before trudging out of the room.

\------------

Ladybug waited for Gen to finish talking to herself before approaching. A frown was settled on her face and Ladybug had a feeling it was a far too common expression. She thought about the few references Gen had made to her life, specifically the earlier part, and her heart broke a little for the woman beside her.

“You don’t need to feel sorry for me. We all have struggles in life. I’m just lucky enough that I remember all of mine while everyone else gets to be reborn with no memories and make the same mistakes over and over again.” There was a small teasing smile on her face that Ladybug couldn’t help but mirror. “You sure about this? Once I wake her there’s really no going back.”

“Yes.” Her tone was resolute if weary. “She may have information that can help. At the very least she should have insight into her husband that could prove useful” Gen just nodded.

“Alright. I should warn you though she may be disoriented from the healing itself. Add that to the fact that we’re going to have to explain she been in a coma for three years and this first conversation isn’t likely to be very productive. Might want to start with asking what she remembers rather than jump into questions about her husband.” Ladybug nodded. It made sense and truthfully if she ended up on her husband’s side this might be the only chance they had to learn anything useful. 

Gen gave a small nod and Nixx began to glow. It started off soft at first and Gen reached forward to grip Mme. Agreste’s left hand in her right. Her other hand went to the woman’s forehead as she began muttering in a language Ladybug didn’t know. Slowly, Nixx began to glow brighter and there was obvious strain on Gen’s face. She had sweat pouring down her face after a few minutes but they kept going. Ladybug was concerned but that turned into panic as she saw steam begin to lift off Gen. She couldn’t help but wonder if this is where the concept of spontaneous combustion came from. She really didn’t want to be the reason Gen died again. Just before she made up her mind to intervene, Gen pulled back, taking deep shuddering breaths, while Nixx faded back to their normal brilliance.

“Are you alright?” Ladybug heard the worry in her own voice but Gen just waived her off as Nixx flopped down on her shoulder.

“We’re fine. It’s just a bit draining trying to repair the breach a damaged Miraculous caused. Ever since she first put it on that broach was acting like a poison. Being in the coma helped but that corruption has been festering and growing this entire time.”

“Were you able to heal her enough to wake?” Before Gen could answer there was movement from the coffin. It was just her fingers fluttering at first but soon her eyes started to slowly blink open. She looked confused for all of a second before her gaze landed on them, specifically on Ladybug.

“I’ve been waiting for you.” 


	58. Mme. Agreste

Ladybug shared a confused look with Gen who seemed just as lost as she was. The woman’s voice sounded strange. Relieved maybe, or just content? She couldn’t place it. Gen had said she would be confused, maybe she just didn’t know what was going on or thought they were someone else.

“Why have you been waiting for us?” Mme. Agreste just smiled peacefully. It was unsettling.

“Just you. Duusu told me the holder of the Ladybug Miraculous would free me.”

“Free you from what exactly?” Gen’s voice startled her. She sounded calm if slightly annoyed and was scrutinizing Mme. Agreste as though she was a particularly troublesome puzzle. 

“Free from a controlling husband and son. Free to live my life the way I want.” Ladybug frowned and cocked her head in confusion.

“You think your son is controlling?” The woman barked out an unamused laugh.

“Oh yes. He’s so much like his father. The biggest difference is that Gabriel simply expects everyone around him to bow to his will whereas Adrien realized early on that things were easier if people wanted to do his bidding. He learned how to manipulate people and situations to get the outcome he wanted.”

“Can you give us an example?” Gen seemed genuinely curious, though Ladybug wasn’t certain why.

“Oh yes, I can give you plenty. One of the most common was that anytime his father caught him doing something he shouldn’t Adrien would just tell him I gave him permission. Gabriel would then turn his anger on me and Adrien usually got off scott free. Then there’s the reason he’s homeschooled. Starting very young he would talk other children into doing things he didn’t want to be caught at. He convinced children to steal toys or snacks for him. I started limiting his interactions with other children when a boy he didn’t like ended up with a broken arm and no one seemed to have a good answer for why it happened.”

“Yet you still let him see Chloe?’ Ladybug couldn’t decide if the woman was paranoid or if Adrien really had been so manipulative. Given his current state she could certainly see it and Plagg didn’t say that the effect from the Miraculous only worsened traits that were already there so it did make sense.

“She was bullheaded and smart enough that a lot of his tricks didn’t work well on her. Plus, as long as it was just the two of them he didn’t have much of a motive to do anything except make sure they played the games he wanted. There weren’t any other targets for him to go after.” Ladybug looked at Gen who was still studying the other woman. When their eyes finally met she looked worried. Gen gestured behind them and they both stepped back so they could talk without being overheard.

“I can’t figure out if she mentally stable or not, though I’m leaning towards not. Duusu wouldn’t have said something like that though she may have mentioned the Ladybug holder being able to heal the Miraculous and that would have given her more freedom. Everything else has to be her own interpretation. What do you think about what she said about her son?”

Ladybug frowned, trying to think back to when she first met Adrien. He had seemed kind and sweet. Way too sheltered but there was an obvious reason for that. The more she considered everything though she realized that everything he did seemed to be for his own gain. He’d stood up to Chloe because he knew he wouldn’t lose her. He’d made friends, including her because he wanted them but had never gone out of his way for any of them if there was any inconvenience to himself. Chat in the early days had acted like a hero, but the second things had gotten hard or he was denied something he wanted he threw a tantrum and put his interests above everything else. She sighed.

“He’s always placed himself first, no matter the cost.” The words sounded as if they were pulled out of her by force. She didn’t want them to be true. Gen reached out to give her shoulder a comforting squeeze and she could she the commiseration in the woman’s eyes.

“Mental instability seems to be on both sides of his family so it’s not overly surprising he has issues. The question is what are we going to do about her?” They looked back and Mme. Agreste was just laying there, completely composed. Ladybug stepped closer to her.

“Mme. Agreste, do you know of anywhere your husband or his assistant would use to hide or just get away from home?”

“Well, the Grand Paris is always a possibility but his office at the headquarters for Gabriel is far better secured so if he was actually hiding I’d go with that.” Ladybug nodded before turning back to Gen and whispering.

“Take her to one of the rooms upstairs and see if you can get more information about her husband, his assistant, and Adrien. She may prove to be a valuable resource. I need to go have Red Robin and Oracle break into security and Gabriel and hope Mme. Agreste is right.” It made so much sense she couldn’t believe she’d never considered it.


	59. Corruption

“How hard can it be to find a woman covered in feathers?” Damian had long since lost patience with his siblings while waiting for his soulmate to reappear. It didn’t seem possible that Nathalie had just vanished. He was honestly starting to wonder if she’d left the house at all. They wouldn’t have known about the secret lair if she hadn’t told them so it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that there were other places she could be hiding. “Plagg?”

The Kwami popped up in front of him while Red Robin watched warily. Drake had never been fond of magic no matter it’s source. He trusted science and he wasn’t a fan of things that could think for themselves. Damian was tempted to leave Plagg to hover over him but wasn’t sure if it would be a stimulant or a distraction.

“Could you and Trixx comb the house looking for any other rooms or passageways? She could still be hiding here and I’d like to know in advance if we have to worry about her or Hawkmoth entering the house from somewhere we currently aren’t aware of.” Plagg nodded and hummed in approval and Trixx flew into sight.

“If anyone can find things that are hidden it’s us. Though Plagg has a tendency to destroy things to find them.” Trixx looked excited at the prospect and Damian frowned at them both.

“No tricks and no destroying things. If you find Nathalie one of you stay with her and the other comes back here. We mainly need to know the actual layout of the house rather than what’s obvious.” Both Kwami’s sighed in disappointment and Damian that he heard Plagg mutter ‘killjoy’ but they went to do as he asked.

“You really think it’s a good idea to trust them? You don’t even really know what they are let alone their intentions.” Damian just frowned at his brother.

“I know more than you think and I don’t need to trust them because I trust Ladybug. However, Plagg has proven to be helpful and I’ve yet to catch him lying. They’ve given me no reason to doubt them.” Red Robin just scowled at him before concentrating on his computer again. Luckily the hidden elevator appeared with his soulmate preventing him from strangling his brother. She gave him a concerned look and he realized his frustration had been rising since he left her. 

“Everything okay up here?” She glanced between him and his brother but neither answered.

“Did you wake Mme. Agreste?” Best to just find a new topic. His homicidal urges toward his brothers were common so she’d get used to it eventually. She gave him a slightly amused look but didn’t comment. 

“We did. Red Robin could you and Oracle get into the security system at Gabriel? Mme. Agreste mentioned Gabriel’s office as a possible hiding place.”

“Of course we can.” Oracle’s voice came from the tablet to cover Red Robin muttering. His mood had been getting worse and it was honestly starting to worry him. He could hear concern in Ladybug’s song as well. She walked up to him slowly, almost as if approaching a cornered animal. Damian felt his hackles rise as she neared him though he couldn’t have said why.

“Are you okay?” Red Robin started at her voice, obviously not expecting her to be so close. His eyes met hers and whatever she saw there caused a spike in fear. He was in motion instantly and before she spoke he was between them. “Robin hold him.” He didn’t hesitate and Drake was on the table before he could react.

“What the hell? You’re attacking me on the words of some girl you just met?” Damian scowled before meeting Ladybug’s concerned gaze. 

“What’s wrong with him?” Her song turned confused and she looked back down at Red Robin.

“I’m not sure… but I can feel it. It’s like an Akuma but not. It’s.... it’s almost as if there was something inside him and it’s being enhanced by the magic residue from the Akuma’s that have been created here.” Damian frowned in thought. That didn’t make any sense at all. Him or Jason he could see but Tim didn’t have that kind of darkness inside him. Unless she meant something that was in his system.

“They went up against Scarecrow a few days before coming here. From what I heard he and Batgirl got hit with fear toxin but they got the antidote. Is it possible that has something to do with it?” 

“I don’t know, maybe.” She reached forward to place a hand on Red Robin’s forehead and he began struggling. Damian held him with less effort than he would have thought. Ladybug’s song in his head held a strange buzz as she concentrated on his brother. After a moment a spark left her and went into his body causing him to convulse violently and throw Damian off. Rather than grabbing him again he got between Red Robin and Ladybug. His brother groaned from where he was on the ground before sitting up and gripping his head.

“What’s going on?” Oracle’s voice seemed to bring his brother back to himself but he looked confused.

“We’re not exactly sure yet but I think it’s all good now.” Damian wasn’t sure of anything but Red Robin did seem less hostile.

“Easy for you to say. You’re not the one with a caffeine withdrawal headache and no idea how they got in this room.”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Ladybug’s voice was calm but Damian could hear her freaking out internally.

“You bringing Adrien in… after that everything’s fuzzy.”

“Oracle, you’ve been working on everything with him right?” They all caught the edge in her voice and Oracle rushed to reassure her.

“Yes. As soon as you guys were back on the grid we started working on everything together. I haven’t taken any breaks without him.” That seemed to calm her a little bit.

“Good but just in case, could you go over what you’ve done so far and make sure there are no surprises? I have no idea what a combination of magic feeding off negative emotions and massive paranoia might cause. I’m just hoping he didn’t boobytrap the house at this point.” She sounded resigned and Damian had to wonder how often things like this happened to her.

“You think I did what now?” Red Robin was suddenly off the floor and back on the computer. Well if anyone could find something he planted in the system it would be himself. “I need coffee… a lot of coffee.” Damian shared a look with his soulmate before they nodded and headed for the door. It was going to be another long night.


	60. Fears

“What are you doing?” Ladybug’s voice was a bit harsh and Damian stepped in the room to find Red Hood jumping up from in front of Adrien. His face held an expression of panic which would have been funny under other circumstances.

“Just adding some extra bindings… just in case.” As Damian looked past him he noticed that not only were Adrien’s hand bound to the chair, his ankles were as well. He also had ropes around his chest and thighs with convoluted knots and fastenings. He raised an eyebrow.

“Seems a little extreme unless you know something about Nathalie’s escape that you haven’t told us.” Red Hood was suddenly looking anywhere but at them, paying particular attention to the exits. That wasn’t a good sign.

“I need to know what happened.” Ladybug’s tone had softened and her eyes were pleading. Even without the bruising Damian was certain his brother would cave.

“Okay, but you can’t tell that friend of yours. If she finds out I didn’t tell her everything I have a feeling I’ll be murdered in my sleep or worse.” She was fighting back a smile but Damian was just looking at his brother like he was insane. Mister badass incarnate was scared of a high schooler? 

“I promise I won’t say anything to her. I just need to know exactly what happened because I think Red Robin may have been under the influence of malevolent forces.” Red Hood blinked at her before scowling.

“Is that why he’s been so snappish? I just thought it was because I hadn’t seen him get coffee for a few hours.”

“A few hours? And that didn’t strike you as strange? I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen him awake without some sort of caffeine near him. What else was out of character?” He may have been more annoyed than he ought to have been, but he was trusting his family to take care of things while he made sure Marinette took care of herself. If they weren’t on the lookout for things like this what good were they? Red Hood just shrugged

“Like I said he was snappish and in a really bad mood. I thought it was just the caffeine and having all our electronics fried. He usually likes rebuilding from scratch but not when we’re in the middle of a mission like this.” Damian was ready to explode, but Ladybug put a calming hand on his back before addressing his brother.

“Okay, so what exactly happened with Nathalie? You said Red Robin loosened her bindings right?” His expression turned sheepish and he answered barely loud enough to hear.

“Well yeah but only after I told him to. She’d been complaining for almost an hour and we couldn’t see anything with the feathers. I told him to give her some first aid or padding or something. The second they were a little loose she managed to pull her hands free and next thing I know she was throwing the chair at Red Robin and he was knocked backward into me. By the time we untangled she was nowhere to be found.” Ladybug was frowning at him and Red Hood was starting to sweat. What he didn’t know was that she was staring through him as she thought. 

“So it didn’t seem like he was purposely letting her escape?” 

“What? No of course not.” He sounded offended and Damian could understand why, but he also knew that the rules here are different. Magic was capable of many things. Ladybug just nodded absentmindedly but her could feel her mind working.

“I think you may be right about the cause Robin. Akumas feed on emotion and Hawkmoth has made them sustain themselves on only negative emotions so if Red Robin had residue from that fear toxin it would have naturally drawn that energy. He didn’t seem to be under Hawkmoth’s control and there was no actual Akuma. I should probably have Gen or Nixx look at him just to make sure though.” 

“Have me look at who?” They all started at the voice as Gen looked on with amusement. Ladybug quickly explained and they watched as Gen shuddered in revulsion. “I hate that stuff. It makes sense that the energy here would make it worse.”

“You’ve dealt with Scarecrow before?” She shook her head slowly.

“No, not personally. I intercepted a shipment of the toxin he’d sold to a major drug cartel in Brazil. One of the ones transporting it panicked and ended up breaking a couple vials open on me. Fun was not had by all.” She was scowling at the floor.

“I would have thought you’d have gotten rid of any weaknesses like fear considering how long you’ve been alive.” Red Hood’s words caused a dry look.

“Being immortal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Trust me my fears make everyone else’s seem like nothing.”

“Oh yeah like what?” Damian had to fight the urge to throw a batarang at his brother to get him to shut up. The idiot really needed to learn to read people. Gen didn’t break eye contact with him as she spoke.

“I’ll give you one of the tamer ones since I doubt you could stomach the things that actually keep me up at night. Somewhere around the year five hundred BCE I was buried alive in a cave in. I kept dying and coming back to life still under rocks and dirt for what seemed like forever until torrential rains caused a mudslide allowing me to claw my way to the surface. I found out later that it took seven years for that to happen. Can you even imagine what it would be like to slowly suffocate over and over or sometimes I came back and there was already no oxygen so I couldn’t even get one breath in before succumbing again. At first I couldn’t move my body at all but slowly I was able to dig out my hands until the dirt around me collapsed and I’d have to start all over again. For seven years I tried and failed to get out of that hell. Trust me when I say you know nothing of pain or fear.”

Red Hood just stared at her, opening and closing his mouth without being able to make a sound. Damian thought it was probably better that way. 


	61. Caged Bird

Gen turned back to Ladybug as Red Hood continued to be mute. “Mme. Agreste is set up in one of the spare rooms. She didn’t say much else yet.” She glanced over to Adrien. “At least not much I can say here or seemed pertinent to your current problem. But I’ll give you a full update so you can make that call.” Ladybug nodded.

“Walk with me. I promised Red Robin I’d get him coffee. That way you can check him out too.” They walked out leaving Damian alone with Red Hood and Adrien. The latter hadn’t made much of a fuss which he found odd but not currently a priority.

“So you get that foot out of your mouth yet or should I leave you alone for that procedure?” Red Hood glared at his dry tone but Damian just continued to stare at him with a rather bored expression. Nightwing chose that moment to make his appearance. He took one look at Adrien bound and gagged before rounding on them.

“What is wrong with you two? That’s completely unnecessary.” Red Hood just sputtered what sounded like a denial before Damian decided to speak up.

“Apparently it’s not given that he and Red Robin allowed Nathalie to escape. Yes I agree it might be a little overkill but I’m pretty sure Ladybug will hand our asses to us should we let the boy get away as well.” A noise came from Adrien and Damian swore he looked insulted though he couldn’t say about what. “Now that you two can stay here and keep tabs on each other I’ve got to go back and talk to Red Robin and Oracle.”

Damian was out of the room before either could protest and slowly headed back towards Gabriel’s office where Red Robin had set up their makeshift command center. He couldn’t explain it but he felt off in the house. It was like having an itch in the middle of his back where he couldn’t reach. Always nagging at the back of his mind with nothing he could really do about it. He’d have to remember to ask Ladybug about it, or maybe Plagg. He walked into Red Robin scowling at his computer and Oracle talked in the background.

“Do you see the code I’m talking about? I didn’t put it there and it definitely didn’t come with the device.” Red Robin didn’t bother to answer but his face said plenty. His look of annoyance slowly turned to mounting horror.

“It’s to set off the entire security grid. If that had been set off it would have killed anyone in the house. What did I do?” 

“It wasn’t your fault. When dealing with magic all sorts of strange things happen. What matters is that we caught it in time to fix it.” As much as they needed Red Robin to focus Damian felt Oracle was going far too easy on him. It didn’t matter to him at the moment that she was right. All he could focus on was the fact that his soulmate had been in grave danger. 

“Do we need to remove you?” Damian knew his tone was accusatory but he couldn’t help it.

“No.” The voice came from behind him and he turned to see Ladybug and Gen standing there. “Gen is going to look him over and she’ll tell us if there’s still a problem. If there’s not there was no harm done and he can fix his mistakes.” Red Robin flinched at Ladybug’s words but she just gave him a reassuring smile as Gen walked over to study him. Damian rolled his eyes but didn’t comment. Gen stared at Red Robin for a good five minutes looking progressively more confused. 

“What did you do to him?” Damian couldn’t interpret the look she gave Ladybug. It seemed confused, awed, and honestly a bit scared all at once. His soulmate just blinked.

“I’m not entirely sure. I felt a wrongness and when I concentrated on it a spark moved from me to him and when I looked again it had vanished.” Gen frowned.

“You shouldn’t be able to do that. Was Plagg with you at the time?” 

“No?” She looked to Damian for conformation.

“I’d just sent him and Trixx to look over the house for any other surprises before she came up. So no, he wasn’t near her when she did it.” 

“How odd.” Gen just looked confused now but shook it off. “Well he’s clean now of both the toxin and magic so good job I guess?” She didn’t sound too sure of that last part but Damian decided it could wait when Oracle let out an excited noise.

“I got her! She went exactly where Mme. Agreste said she would. Ladybug’s eyes widened.

“You found Nathalie?” The hope in her voice was obvious.

“Yep and now she’s sealed in the office where she can’t contact anyone or do any harm.” Ladybug actually let out and indignant snort.

“I’ll believe she can’t do harm when she’s dead at this point and even then she’d probably find some way to be an inconvenience.” Her eyes widened and a hand flew to her mouth but everyone else in the room started laughing. After they all calmed down Oracle gave them a rundown of the building’s security which was extremely similar to the mansion. 


	62. A Troubling Find

Damian just leaned against the wall next to Gen as Ladybug, Oracle, and Red Robin argued about whether they should leave Nathalie where she was or retrieve her. His first suggestion of leaving her in the office to rot hadn’t been received well so he decided to sit it out after that. Gen hadn’t commented at all. Damian got the feeling she just wanted to observe as she was still taking stock of the current Guardian. Plagg and Trixx phased through the wall next to his head and decided to perch on his shoulders.

“Did you find anything?” The Kwamis didn’t answer immediately and he was starting to realize that meant one of two things. They were debating whether they should tell him, or it was bad enough that they didn’t want to. While he knew he could just order them to talk, he decided to wait. Even he had certain lines he didn’t like to cross and ordering a being into compliance against their will was one of them.

“Yes and no. We did find a couple more exits but the passages to them collapsed years ago so there’s no way Nathalie could have used them. I’ll show you where they are just in case Hawkmoth makes an Akuma that could use them to their advantage, but if they can get in that way it would be just as easy for them to get in through the vents on the roof.” Plagg’s words were less than comforting but he supposed it could be worse. 

“The real problem is the research we found in Hawkmoth’s bedroom.” Trixx chimed in and Plagg hissed at him. Damian let out a sigh.

“What research?” He could tell that Gen was suddenly taking far more interest in their conversation than the argument across the room.

“He’s trying to figure out how to create more Miraculous. Specifically with Kwamis that even the idiots who created Gen wouldn’t have dared bring into this plane.” Gen scowled and started muttering under her breath before looking at Plagg.

“Can you tell if he’s getting close to figuring it out?” The Kwami just shook his head.

“You know the Guardians were always careful about letting us know too much for fear of a situation exactly like this. I have no doubt that he forced Nooroo to tell him everything we know and probably wasn’t satisfied with the answer.” Plagg looked murderous and Trixx just drooped on his other shoulder. Damian felt a simmering rage that someone would mistreat one of the creatures that had no viable method of fighting back.

“I should go look at it then. Let’s all hope he isn’t close. Even if he tries and fails he could create an imbalance the likes of which the world hasn’t seen since the flood.” Damian frowned but Gen was out the door before he could question it. He decided to ask the Kwamis about something that had been bothering him instead.

“Plagg, does having a Miraculous make your instincts better? Or allow you to sense things you wouldn’t without it?” Plagg flew to hover in front of him with a searching look.

“What kinds of things?” Damian frowned at their avoidance of the question but decided to answer anyway.

“This house… it feels wrong. I don’t really know how to say it but I’ve felt it ever since we got here.” Plagg cocked their head in thought and gave a soft hum.

“It’s most likely the residue from Nooroo’s misuse that you’re feeling. If so that is because of the Miraculous but I would have thought it would take you much longer to pick up on it.” They turned to look a Ladybug before turning back to him. “She’s bonded with Tikki far beyond that of normal holders so I guess as her soulmate it makes sense that you would have a strong bond with me as well. I still wouldn’t have expected it this fast though. Must be your connection with her and the need to protect her that’s driving our bond.” Plagg sounded like they were musing out loud rather than trying to explain anything.

“So you’re saying that the bond between us is trying to play catch up to the bond between Ladybug and Tikki?” Plagg just grinned at him.

“That’s actually a really good way to think about it. I don’t think we’ve ever had a pair that got their Miraculous more than a few weeks apart so that may very well be what’s going on. It’s the best explanation I can think of anyway.”

“Is it something I should be worried about? It seems that a lot of holders have been having issues with mental stability. Could this be harmful?” Plagg’s tail lashed in what appeared to be annoyance.

“No. First they all had issues before the Miraculous and with the exception of Mme. Agreste weren’t suited to the Miraculous they held. You are my true chosen so the bond between us will have no ill effects. The bond between you and Ladybug is so strong I can already sense it whether I want to or not, so the balance between you won’t be a problem either. Be sure to tell me anytime you feel something unexpected just so you can get a better idea of what it is, but you don’t have to be worried about side effects. Or you can ask Gen or Ladybug since they know more about the human side of the bond than I do.” 

Damian nodded and dropped back into thought as Plagg settled on his shoulder once more. All of this was happening too fast. He’d spent months looking for Marinette and it had felt like the search would never end. Now that he’d found her he hadn’t even had a chance to breathe. Watching his soulmate across the room he studied their songs and realized that this is how she’d felt for most of the past two years. Running constantly on empty because she had no choice since if she stopped the world would literally implode around her. No real help or backup in her hero or civilian life. He’d always had family. Even in the league there had been people to take over if you were injured or otherwise unable to fulfill your duty. Once he went to live with his father it was an actually support system with people who always had your back. Marinette had been completely isolated and alone other than the Guardian and he honestly wasn’t certain how much support that man really was. 

Damian locked eyes with his concerned soulmate across the room. Her song was trying to sooth him again. He gave her a small smile and it seemed to put her at ease, at least enough to go back to her argument. It was in that moment that he decided that this would end as soon as he got Hawkmoth in his sights. By any means necessary. He was Ladybug’s opposite for a reason and he would do whatever he had to, including the things that she couldn’t, or wouldn’t, do herself. 


	63. Plagg's Plan

“We’ve got a problem.” Oracle’s voice pulled Damian’s attention back to the current situation. He pushed off from the wall to join them.

“What now?” Ladybug’s voice was flat but her song was a mesh of annoyance, weariness, and resignation.

“Gabriel’s trying to call Nathalie.” Ladybug just groaned in response.

“Great. I knew he would eventually but I was hoping we could get recordings of her voice and piece something together. I guess just let it go to voicemail for the moment. It’ll seem suspicious but I don’t think it will be catastrophic.” She didn’t sound too sure of that last part.

“I can imitate her if you want.” Plagg’s announcement made everyone in the room go silent. “What? I am a God and I’ve heard her more than anyone should have to so I’m sure I could mimic her well enough.” Ladybug bit her lip as she frowned at them. Damian was pleased to note that it didn’t hurt enough for her to wince anymore. It was the first sign of healing and for some reason that lightened his mood considerably. She shot him a curious look as his song changed but didn’t comment.

“I think we should let it go to voicemail so that we know why he’s calling and can have answers ready when we call back. That way I can also hear your imitation first.” Plagg looked offended.

“Don’t you trust me Bug?” 

“No.” Her voice was flat but he heard threads of amusement in her song. “Tikki has told me enough about you to be cautious, especially when you like chaos so much.” Plagg actually had a hurt look but covered it quickly with boredom before flying closer to her face.

“I would never do something like that when it really matters.” Ladybug just raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, I wouldn’t do it if I knew it really mattered. I’ll admit I haven’t taken things as seriously as I should have in the past but I wouldn’t do something intentionally to put you in danger.” Their voice was sincere and Ladybug’s face softened.

“I know Plagg and I’m sorry if it sounded like that’s what I thought. I just can’t leave any of this up to chance if it can be avoided. So could you please let me hear it first?” The tiny god just sighed.

“Fine. What do you want me to say?” Ladybug turned to the computer where Oracle could be seen on the screen.

“Could you play the voicemail for us please?”

“Of course.” Oracle entered a few commands and they all heard the voice of a very annoyed Gabriel Agreste.

“You had better be dead or dying. I need my notes for the meeting with the other designers now, and make sure my flight is confirmed. If I have to deal with any nonsense at the airport there will be consequences.” Damian scowled at the words. He already didn’t like the man but this just seemed unnecessary somehow. He knew he could be abrasive, especially over the phone and wondered if he sounded that bad.

“Okay so we have to find those notes and go through Nathalie’s email to find the flight confirmation. You guys can do that while Damian and I work with Plagg on what to say.” Red Robin and Oracle got to work as Ladybug to them to the other side of the room. Plagg spoke first.

“I suppose it was a good idea to let it go to voicemail first, but how do you plan to explain it?” She frowned in thought.

“Adrien’s been acting up lately right?” Plagg just nodded. “What if we told the truth, or at least part of it?”

“What do you mean?” Damian didn’t think mentioning that Ladybug had taken over his home was a great plan.

“Well, Adrien is the one who planted the virus and EMP so we can tell him what happened but act like it was much more recent and Nathalie only just got things up and running again.” Plagg looked impressed and thoughtful.

“That might actually work. Say he snuck out to see his friends after Nathalie went to bed but she woke up and set off his idiotic boobytrap. With the way Adrien has been talking back to and defying is father it should be believable. Not to mention the overkill. Gabriel’s always going on and on about how Adrien can’t be subtle.” Plagg actually rolled his eyes. “And that’s coming from a man who attacks Paris constantly with some of the most obnoxious Akuma victims constantly. I seriously don’t know how he’s still so bad at it.” Ladybug actually giggled at the last part.

“I know right? For the longest time I didn’t want to believe he was Hawkmoth just for the atrocious fashion choices. I mean, he’s a crap human being but he used to be a decent designer.” Plagg grinned at her. “Damian could you go see if Red Robin and Oracle have found what they need yet? Plagg and I need to go over some contingencies in case Gabriel starts asking things we aren’t prepared for.” Damian’s nose wrinkled in mild annoyance. When had he become a babysitter?

“Of course.” Before he could walk off she grabbed his hand. When he turned to look at her and found her studying him. She opened her mouth a few times, obviously trying to figure out what to say to him. Finally she said the last words he’d expected.

“You know you can tell me no right?” Damian blinked at her. It took him far longer to process that question than it should have.

“This is your fight, you know what needs to be done better than I do. It doesn’t make sense to contradict you.” She frowned at him and he could hear her song switch to a blend of concentration and determination. It confused him.

“Maybe that’s true, but you know your family better than I do. If you think they don’t need your help or will tell us when they find what they need, you can tell me that.” He opened his mouth to respond but she shook her head at him and continued talking. “You’ve been trying so hard to not take over and I’m grateful for that, but you may be going too far the other way. We’re supposed to be partners, both as soulmates and Miraculous holders. I need you to be honest with me. I don’t want you to feel like I don’t want or value your input. I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide yourself around me.”

Damian couldn’t find words to respond to her. He wanted to deny that he was hiding anything but he realized he couldn’t. She was right, he’d been walking on eggshells around her scared that if she saw the way he truly was she’d send him packing. They were so different. He thought about what Dick had said, that he just needed to talk to her. Maybe that could work. He could hear hesitance in his own song and his soulmate gave him an encouraging smile.

“I only really have two settings. I’m either following orders or controlling the situation. Collaboration has never been my strong suit.” It wasn’t the best explanation but it was the truth, or part of it. 

“You know I won’t judge you for stating your mind right? I’d rather have different points of view and ideas so I can make the best decision rather than rely on what I come up with alone. I get where you’re coming from. I’ve been alone and in charge of things for so long that I sometimes don’t consider I’m wrong or can ask for help. I want you to feel comfortable enough to share your thoughts with me even when we disagree so we can work things out together.” Her voice was so earnest and her song sung pure sweet notes in his head. He honestly wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. He wanted to reassure her but he refused to lie.

“I will try, but I don’t think I’ll be any good at it.” She gave him a bright smile that he was sure had somehow melted his insides.

“We’ll get good at it together.”


	64. Plagg's Performance

Red Robin, Robin, Ladybug, and Plagg were gathered around the computer as Oracle patched the number in. Ladybug looked at Plagg.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Plagg just rolled his eyes.

“Relax Bug, I got this.” They puffed their chest out as Ladybug looked at them dubiously. She took a few deep breaths before turning to the Robins.

“Remember, no sound. Gabriel can’t know what’s actually going on. Not to mention if he hears a male voice that’s not Adrien in the house I have no idea what he’ll do but it won't be pretty.” Damian just nodded along with his brother. She’d gone over this before but he could hear her stress in his head and knew she needed the confirmation to calm her nerves. She wasn’t really questioning their ability to follow orders or stay silent. “Oracle are you ready?”

“Ready when you are.” They all waited for her signal but she was just staring at Plagg, or rather through him. Her song felt strange and he couldn’t place why. Plagg flew directly into her face, causing her eyes to cross and her focus to shift to him.

“Bug, it’ll be alright. We’ll get through this and nothing bad is going to happen. You’ve got all of us on your side. You’re not alone and this plan will work.” Plagg said the words slowly and deliberately. Damian couldn’t help but feel there was something he needed to know, but now was not the time to ask. Instead he took her hand in his to help ground her. She gave him a grateful smile before turning back to Plagg.

“Okay, let’s do this.” They were all silent as Oracle put the call through. Damian couldn’t be certain but he thought Ladybug was holding her breath.

“There had better be a good reason why you kept me waiting. I don’t pay you to make my life more difficult.” Gabriel’s voice grated on Damian’s nerves. Hearing his callous words directed at someone so close to him made Damian understand how he could think attacking Paris was acceptable.

“I apologize sir. There was an incident but it’s been taken care of now. I’ve sent both the notes and flight confirmation to your phone and e-mail.” Damian was still weirded out by how perfectly Plagg imitated the woman. Right down to that fake bored inflection she always seemed to use when stressed. It was impressive.

“What kind of incident?” Gabriel’s voice was sharp. If Damian hadn’t known he was controlling before that demanding tone would have been a sure giveaway.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about sir. I’ll give you a full report when you get back.” Damian watched Ladybug tense. This was the part of the conversation she a Plagg had disagreed with. She thought pushing him too far could make him cut his trip short, but Plagg had assured her Nathalie would try her best to keep the peace between father and son short of lying.

“You do not get to decide what I should and should not worry about. What happened?” His voice got noticeably louder and higher as he continued talking. Plagg let out a sigh.

“Adrien decided to be more of a handful than usual.” Gabriel actually scoffed.

“My son doesn’t have the imagination to cause real problems. If you can’t keep him from stealing your phone, perhaps I need a new assistant.” Ladybug was just glaring at the screen. With every sentence Damian could feel her fury rising. Not know what else to do, or if it would even help, he began rubbing soothing circles on her back.

“He didn’t steal anything. He built and set of and EMP device that knocked out all the power in a two block radius. But as I said it’s handled now and Adrien is on lockdown. He destroyed all his electronics with the pulse and I told him they wouldn’t be replaced until you felt they should be.”

“What do you mean he built and EMP device? That’s far too advanced for someone his age.” Ladybug and Plagg rolled their eyes in tandem.

“His best subjects are math and physics not to mention he’s been spending more time with the boy in his class that built that sentient robot. This kind of stunt is perfectly within his capabilities, I just didn’t think it would be something he would think to do.” There was dead silence on the line and Damian started to wonder if he’d hung up.

“Keep him contained in his room until I return. No friends, no school. Tell them whatever you have to to avoid suspicion.” 

“Of course sir. Do those instructions include Mlle. Rossi?” Ladybug’s eyes widened and Damian heard shock in her song. This wasn’t something they’d discussed. Plagg made a soothing motion as Gabriel gave a long suffering sigh.

“Yes for now. She may be cooperating with us for now but Adrien appears to be her end game. I don’t want to risk the possibility of him convincing her to help him.”

“Of course sir. A car will meet you at the airport as I assume you don’t want me to leave Adrien to his own devices at any point.”

“You would be correct. I also want to be informed immediately if he tries anything else.”

“Of course sir.” The words were barely out of Plagg’s mouth before Gabriel hung up. Ladybug let out a ragged sigh of relief and her entire body lost some of its tension. She offered the Kwami a tired smile.

“Great job Plagg.” They flew over and nuzzled into her cheek.

“Of course it was. I give nothing but the best to those who deserve it.” He settled in the crook of her neck and started purring. Damian wasn’t sure what to make of it but it was definitely calming his soulmate down so he decided it was a good thing. 

“Come on Angel. You’ve managed to avert another crisis and now you need sleep.” He tugged her to the bedroom. All along the way she protested but as soon as she got in the room and detransformed she was out. She hadn’t even managed to stay awake long enough to change.Damian removed her shoes and tucked her in before settling on the couch. Tikki, Plagg, and Trixx all lay on top of her and Damian felt secure in the knowledge that the little gods would watch over her while he slept.


	65. A New Dilemma

When Damian woke, Gen was in the room with them. She sat with her legs crossed, back against the door, and asleep as far as he could tell. Did she still sleep? He sat up and looked over at Marinette. All the Kwami’s were still sleeping with her and Nixx had joined them. Nixx, the Kwami of renewal who was glowing slightly. Before he could panic Gen spoke.

“Nixx isn’t healing her, just boosting her sleep so she’s more refreshed and has more energy when she wakes. We wouldn’t do something like that against her wishes.” Damian looked back at her and saw wariness in her eyes again. It seemed to be her default.

“Why are you here?” He didn’t mean for the question to come out quite so demanding but with everything that had happened in the last few days he was quickly becoming sick of surprises and a complete lack of privacy. Gen just sighed.

“First, because Nixx works better when they can feed off of my energy. Second, I told Marinette that I would tell her what I learned from Emilie and I would like to do that sooner rather than later. Third, I need to know more about the situation here in Paris. Fourth, I wanted to talk to you.”

“Talk to me about what?” Gen just stared at him for a moment. He got the feeling she was trying to choose her words carefully.

“Plagg hasn’t bonded fully with you yet even though it’s rather obvious you’re meant to be Marinette’s Black Cat. Do you know why?” He just frowned at her and shook his head. “Part of it is caution. After Adrien I can see why. But it’s also because you and Marinette haven’t found your balance yet. You’re both tiptoeing around each other trying to keep the other happy.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” He wanted his soulmate healthy and happy. He didn’t see the problem.

“No it isn’t.” Her tone was flat, tired. “Until you two find your real balance, between your true selves you won’t match up correctly. While both of you are trying too hard to please the other, you’re the one suppressing more of yourself to do so.” Damian didn’t know what to say to that. He also didn’t understand what he should do about it.

“If I start acting like my true self she’ll hate me. She already gets annoyed with my need to control things and taking charge. Those are some of my better qualities.” Gen hummed in amusement. 

“I’m not talking about the person that you were made into. I’m talking about something much deeper. Your true essence, not the window dressing that has been forced on the pair of you.”

“I don’t understand.” The words came out strangled and Damian was surprised they came out at all. It wasn’t in his nature to say something like that. Gen cocked her head at him and he was worried she was going to just drop it but she spoke a minute later.

“Marinette is a creation soul which is why she’s such a good match for Tikki. That soul has been dimmed and repressed by outside sources, but it is her core and it’s obvious in the way she shows affection. She needs to get more in touch with that core to live up to her full potential. Does that make sense?” Damian nodded. “You are her opposite, a destruction soul. It is your nature to neutralize. Specifically to neutralize threats.”

“And you’re saying I’m not doing that?” He was trying not to act as confused as he was but he didn’t think it was working.

“You are to a point, but when you do it’s not because it’s in your nature so much as it’s what’s expected of you. You’re playing a role, have been most of your life if I had to guess.” She studied him closer for a moment. “First you did what you were told by your mother, then your father, and now your soulmate. It has little to do with you and everything to do with them.” 

Damian opened his mouth to protest but couldn’t find the words. She couldn’t be right. Her reasoning was overly simplistic and there was no way his core was repressed the way she said. Honestly what could be more destructive than an assassin? 

“I can hear you overthinking from here.” She sounded amused and Damian just glared at her. “You’ve been programmed your entire life. I bet you can’t tell me what it is you really want out of life. That you don’t understand a lot of the gut feelings you have and were told over and over to ignore.” Damian blinked as he realized she was right about that. His mother and father both tried to make him ignore his instincts though they focused on different ones. His mother had tried to beat out any hint of mercy or belief in the sanctity of life while his father had tried to reason away all of his more violent impulses.

“So you’re saying I need to undo all the programming, good or bad, in order to be in true harmony with both Marinette and Plagg?”

“Yep.”

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?” Gen’s expression morphed into an almost feral grin that actually sent shivers up his spine.

“If there was time I would suggest heavy meditation, for both of you actually, in order to get in touch with your true selves.” Damian scowled at her. What was the point of giving him an option that he couldn’t use? “As things stand… there’s a potion that will force your bases front and center. You’ll still be in control but all those feelings and thoughts you’ve learned to ignore will suddenly be at the forefront and much clearer.”

“And you think this is necessary in order to defeat Hawkmoth?” Gen shrugged and glanced at Marinette.

“I don’t know that it’s necessary for that, but it is necessary for the two of you to be in harmony before Gabriel comes back. If you don’t take this advice I would suggest you go into battle with a different Miraculous or the consequences could be dire. It’s in everyone’s best interest, especially the two of you, that the Ladybug have her Black Cat but better none at all than the wrong one as you’ve seen demonstrated.”

“But I’m not the wrong one. You said so yourself.” Damian was getting sick of her contradictions and less than clear theories.

“You aren’t the wrong one at your core, but that’s not what you are right now. It’s muted and dull and that will bring nothing but bad luck. You can both choose to ignore my advice, though I would talk to Plagg and Tikki first. You may not trust me but you can order them to tell the truth.” Damian scowled, disliking the thought of forcing the creature to do anything against their will. He tried to focus, to see what his instincts were telling him about the woman staring at him. In the end he realized that whether she was right or wrong about the Miraculous, she certainly had observed correctly about him. He was so used to substituting someone else’s judgement for his own that he did it without conscious thought. Wasn’t that just great?

“What do we need to do?” His voice and song sounded resigned but determined. He was going to fix this no matter the consequences.


	66. Plagg's Input

Gen went to the kitchen to make her potion while Damian waited for Marinette to wake so he could discuss the situation with her. He still didn’t understand what it would mean for their true natures to be brought forward. Honestly at this point the more he thought about it the more confused he got. He noticed Plagg staring at him from Marinette’s head before the Kwami flew in front of him. 

“Much as I dislike the necessity, Gen’s right. With the two of you constantly worrying about how the other thinks of you it would be far too easy to hesitate at the wrong time in battle. She’ll be worried that you’ll get mad at her for telling you what to do. You’ll wait when you should act because you want to respect the fact that she’s in charge so you miss your opportunity. She has no self confidence anymore and you have too much faith in her.” Damian scowled at the Kwami.

“What do you mean too much faith? I thought that was a good thing.” Plagg just shrugged.

“It can be, but you’re heard how she talks about herself. You hear her doubt in your head constantly. Putting so much faith in her abilities is unrealistic and just puts even more pressure on her. That is likely to make her make a mistake.” 

“So you’re saying I should just act on my own?” Plagg shook his head causing Damian’s frustration to rise.

“I’m saying you need to learn when to act and when to wait. Unfortunately we don’t have time for the two of you to develop your rhythm naturally. The potion Gen is talking about will strip the both of you of your outer defenses and learned behaviors. Much as I respect Gen I honestly think Marinette needs it more than you do right now.” Damian glanced at his sleeping soulmate. She was such a good person, why would she need to change?

“What makes you say that?”

“For all your parental interference you’re still you. A bit cocky most of the time and a bit unsure of where your moral compass is sure, but you’ve never truly doubted yourself. Marinette has been mentally abused for so long all she feels is doubt. She tries so hard to be what everyone else needs or wants her to be that she’s lost touch with herself and what she really is and wants. If I’m honest, Master Fu and Tikki didn’t help that at all when they forced this responsibility on her. They filled her head with notions of the greater good and self sacrifice. Now she can’t even consider her own happiness without guilt.” Plagg looked at the red Kwami and sighed. “Tikki loves her more than any chosen in the last three hundred years or more but she doesn’t understand how to communicate duty to one so young without creating a void in their sense of self. With adults it’s easier because they’ve already pretty well settled into themselves.”

Damian didn’t respond. Instead he closed his eyes and concentrated on her song. It was far more relaxed in sleep, especially with Nixx doing whatever it was they were doing. He started sifting through the layers, trying to find what Plagg was talking about. It wasn’t hard and he remembered hearing it before. It had come into focus when she’d told her parents they shouldn’t have faith in Ladybug. He knew she doubted herself as a hero, but without all the extra emotions he could now hear it threaded through her entire song. Underneath that though was a spark. He’d felt that once before as well, on the way to the hospital. He’d vowed then to bring it back to life without really understanding why but now he felt certain that that spark was her true self. It was far too small and dim.

He turned his attention to his own song, trying to find his own spark and walls. It was far harder and he wasn’t sure if it was because his song was so different from her, which had been in his head his entire life, or if maybe he simply didn’t want to acknowledge his own problems. Eventually though he found it. It was burning brighter than Marinette’s but where her’s radiated warmth even in its current state, his was cold. The only thing that he could really compare it to was dry ice, or possibly liquid nitrogen. It was so cold it burned. When he opened his eyes Plagg was still hovering in front of him, grinning.

“I think Gen didn’t give you enough credit. I bet you could bring out your true self quickly if given the chance. It’s a shame we can’t afford to test that theory.”

“What theory?” Marinette’s words were slightly slurred from sleep. Damian was by her side in an instant.

“How are you feeling Angel?” He looked over her face to make sure the bruising was still there. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Gen… okay maybe it was a little, but at this point there were too many things that could go wrong for him to relax.

“Good. Better than I have in months actually.” She gave him a quizzical look. “What theory?” Damian frowned, debating the sanity of telling her about this when she just woke up, but he found himself recounting what both Gen and Plagg had said to him. When he finished Marinette just sat there in thought.

“Did Gen say if this potion can be reversed or has an antidote?” Damian just shook his head. He probably should have thought to ask that. “I’ll ask her how long it takes to go into effect. Perhaps we can try the meditation until right before Gabriel returns and then take the potion if we still aren’t balanced correctly.” It was obvious she wasn’t a fan of this plan but Damian couldn’t figure out why. She trusted Gen, he could hear it, but something about this specific potion made her extremely uncomfortable.

“You can tell me what’s wrong you know. I won’t go blab to the rest of my family, or yours for that matter.” She blinked at him looking confused. He decided to pretend it was because he’d figured out there was something wrong so fast rather than because she couldn’t fathom anyone listening to her and not using it as information to be bartered with. 

“It’s just… I’m pretty sure I know what potion she’s talking about. What if we don’t like the people we are under its influence? Master Fu told me that some people even went insane because they couldn’t reconcile their true selves with the person they had become. It had caused more than one suicide.” Damian sucked in a sharp breath and then let it out slowly. He took her hands in his.

“Under everything else you are still you. Kind, generous, creative, loving, and excitable.” She gave him a mock glare for the last edition but he wasn’t daunted. “I believe you taking this potion will simply allow you to be free once more.”

“What about you?” Her tone was even but there was a thread of worry in her song.

“We’re soulmates and I believe that means that no matter what I’d never hurt you. I can live with pretty much anything else.” She frowned at him and he could feel her trying to come up with an argument, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door followed by Bruce’s voice.

“Are you two up? Officer Girard called she wants to speak with both of you again as soon as possible.” Damian groaned internally, Marinette did so out loud.

“She wants us to go down to the station again?” Damian’s question earned a scoff from the other side of the door.

“No, I think she’s trying to stay as far from the rest of the police force as possible. I wasn’t sure if Marinette would prefer her home or the hotel so I told her we’d call when we made a decision.” Great, one more thing to worry about.


	67. A Run in with Idiots

Marinette had decided that meeting at her home would be the best option. They called M. Castex to meet them there after working out a time with Officer Girard. They couldn’t be seen coming from the mansion so Robin and Ladybug made a covert removal to the hotel so Marinette and Damian could be seen leaving it. Damian regretted that decision almost immediately.

“Marinette!” The almost inhuman screech sounded moments after they left the building. When Damian turned to the source the sound that emitted from his throat was feral. Half running towards them was the harpy that had slapped his soulmate along with a boy in glasses and a red cap and another boy who was taller and far more buff. Two of the three were the major physical threats Chloe had identified so even if Marinette hadn’t seemed to shrink in on herself at their appearance he would have been on the defensive. 

“Anything you or the rest of your classmates have to say can go through Mlle. Dupain-Cheng’s lawyer.” The girl pulled up short, looking affronted the boys behind her looking more confused than anything else. She glared at Marinette.

“Is that the same lawyer you’re using to sue Lila you bitch? How could you do such a thing after all the good she’s done?” Damian couldn’t help but roll his eyes and scoff which brought their attention to him, particularly the larger boy. He cracked his knuckles and puffed out his chest trying to look intimidating. Damian had to fight the urge to drop the boy to the pavement.

“If you’d actually look into her claims you’d realize she hasn’t done any good at all. What’s more Marinette isn’t the one suing her. Not yet at least.” Marinette hadn’t wanted to deal with it and given the lengths Penny had gone to to contact every celebrity and public figure Lila had lied about it wasn’t necessary. As it was Lila would be getting served with new law suits for weeks. The amount of outrage from all these influential people on Marinette’s behalf was amazing if he was being honest. Most of them would have simply issued a statement denying knowing the liar if she hadn’t hurt Marinette. Now, the chances of the girl recovering short of faking her own death were slim to none. The harpy just turned up her nose at him.

“I don’t know what lies she’s been telling you but Marinette isn’t the victim here. She’s been defaming Lila for over a year now. I can’t even imagine how she got Jagged Stone to turn on such a sweet girl. I guess the rumors of her sleeping with him are true.” Damian felt blood rush through his ears, blocking out any other sound. Rage, white-hot and explosive, coursed through him. How dare that little…

A hand latched onto his arm before he could lunge at the girl and he felt Marinette hug tightly to his back. Her breathing was uneven, her song had tremors of fear running through it. It wasn’t fear of the people in front of them though. Rather it was fear for him. Worry that he’d end up doing something rash and get locked up himself. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself. It worked to a point but they needed to get out of there before he lost the little control Marinette’s presence brought.

“I would suggest that you be careful with your words. While you’ve already proven yourself nothing but a tabloid journalist, making accusations like that will only land you in the same situation as your friend. Jagged Stone isn’t a pedophile and claiming he is is more than enough reason for a lawsuit.” The harpy just gaped at him but the boy in the red cap suddenly decided to grow a spine.

“How dare you speak about Alya like that. You don’t even know anything about the situation.” Damian glared at the boy until he dropped eye contact and fidgeted uncomfortably.

“I know more than you think and unlike you idiots I don’t believe every tall tale I’m told.” He would have continued. Deep down he knew he was trying to bait them into rushing him so he’d have a reason to give them the same beating they’d given his soulmate. Before he could Selina’s voice came from behind him.

“Damian.” It was more a warning than a greeting but he didn’t turn. There was no way he’d turn his back on an enemy. “You and Marinette should go, you have an appointment to keep. I’ll take care of this.” Damian almost shivered at the threat he heard in her tone and he knew it wasn’t directed at him. The three teenagers in front of him looked like they were about to wet themselves. The smirk on his face probably didn’t help. Selina’s initial approval of Marinette had only grown as they interacted more. Besides Damian she was the one most likely to go for the throat of any threat. 

“Of course. Come on Angel, we don’t want to keep them waiting.” He backed them up slowly until Selina was between them and the other teenagers before turning to lead Marinette to the bakery. She kept shooting concerned glances behind them as they walked but he couldn’t tell if she was more concerned about leaving Selina alone with them for her sake or theirs. “Don’t worry. Selina won’t attack them physically, though I’d love to hear the tongue lashing she’s delivering.” She frowned at him.

“Do you think people really believe that?” Her voice was small. It took him a minute to figure out what specifically she meant but when he did, he felt the urge to turn back and throttle the harpy again.

“Anyone who believes such nonsense is an idiot and deserves to be fooled.”

“But what about Uncle Jagged? A rumor like that could ruin his career and it’s all my fault.” Damian gritted his teeth in an effort not to yell at her. It wouldn’t help and it wasn’t her he was mad at.

“That’s why they brought the lawsuit against that liar. Penny and Jagged know how to deal with these types of situations. They’ll be fine.” His words didn’t seem to do much other than put her deeper into thought. He could feel her guilt gathering, taking over her song. In that moment he thought about Gen’s potion and what it would mean for Marinette. The guilt, self blame, and insecurity would all likely vanish. How much happier would she be? He was starting to wish they’d waited for it to be finished before venturing out in their civilian forms. Despite the risks he couldn’t help but believe it would do more good than harm. 


	68. Restraining Orders

Marinette pulled him up short before they made it to the bakery. Before he could question why he saw movement in the alley next to it. He moved them into a shadow of the building they were passing and waited. It didn’t take long for two heads to appear looking up and down the street. Damian felt his rage build once more as he recognized two more of her classmates.

The first was a girl with pink hair and rollerblades. He could still see bruises on Marinette’s arms that had to be caused by those rather than regular shoes. The second was a scrawny boy with glasses that Marinette and Chloe both assumed had shot the video, or rather that his robot had. He was fully prepared to march over there and beat the crap out of both of them but stopped when a voice came from further in the alley.

“I don’t know what I ever did to Marinette to make her hate me so much! I can’t even imagine what kind of blackmail she has on Jagged to force him to sue me.” Fake sobbing reached his ears and the other two went deeper into the alley to comfort the girl. He gripped one of his knives but before he could do anything Marinette was dragging him to the bakery while they were distracted. It seemed practiced and he wondered how often she’d had to do something similar to avoid her classmates.

Tom and Sabine’s welcome expressions turned to concern at their daughter’s face. Sabine opened her mouth to question them but Damian shook his head and motioned upstairs. Marinette’s parents shared a look before Sabine walked over to lock the door and flip the sign to closed before they all went up to the apartment. M. Castex and Officer Girard were already there, talking softly to each other and both looked up when they entered. Officer Girard took one look at Marinette and scowled.

“What happened?” Damian’s respect for the woman climbed. Her tone wasn’t accusatory and the heat there was in it was obviously not directed at his soulmate. Before she could claim it was nothing Damian spoke.

“We were accosted as we left the hotel by three of her classmates and another three are waiting in an alley one building over to do god knows what. Is there anyway to get restraining orders against her class?” All the adults seemed at a loss for words and Marinette just looked horrified.

“I’m sure that’s not necessary. They probably just wanted to talk.” Her song said quite plainly that she didn’t even believe the words that came out of her mouth. Her parents gaped at her while M. Castex and Officer Girard shared a look.

“We were discussing that before you came up actually. M. Castex gave me access to your phone and the messages on it indicate that many of your classmates will simply continue to escalate. Especially now that they all seem to know about M. Stone’s lawsuit.” Officer Girard’s words caused Marinette to practically deflate. He had a feeling that hearing someone completely outside the situation voice that opinion made it more real for her somehow. 

“What do I have to do?” Her voice was so small and defeated. Damian pulled her into a hug and she burrowed into him. The devastation in her song was threatening to drown him. Looking at the adults he noted the concerned looks on her parent’s faces and another shared glance between the other two. He had a feeling that M. Castex and Officer Girard had been talking about a lot more than just restraining orders but he wasn’t sure Marinette would be able to handle much more right now. Apparently the police officer thought the same. 

“For now nothing. We’ll need your parents to sign the documents M. Castex draws up since you’re a minor. Between the video and texts I’m sure I can get a judge to sign off on them without your having to appear. I would just suggest you not go anywhere alone right now.” Damian just rolled his eyes at the woman. Like he’d allow her out of his sight with those jackals running around. He was about to say as much when there was a knock at the door. The adults shared looks of concern before Sabine went to look through the peephole. She frowned at what she saw but unlocked and cracked the door open.

“May I help you?” Her tone was frigid but Damian relaxed when he heard the other person respond.

“My apologies for arriving without introduction Mme. Cheng but I wanted to make sure Damian and Marinette arrived safely. I was dealing with a problem outside the hotel and noticed a similar one on the way here that may have caused them problems.” Sabine didn’t seem to know how to react at first.

“And you are?” Damian swore he could feel Selina mentally facepalm from across the room and if the laughter he felt against his chest was any indication Marinette could too. 

“Sorry, I’ve been spending so much time with your daughter that I feel like I know you already. I’m Selina Kyle, Bruce’s fiance, it’s very nice to meet you.” Sabine glanced back to Damian and he nodded so she opened the door wide to let the other woman in. Selina took one look at Marinette clinging to Damian and pulled out her phone. Damian glared while she took the picture but it didn’t deter her at all. She just smiled at him before putting the phone away and turning to the rest of the adults.

“What problem were you dealing with?” M. Castex sounded furious but Selina just smiled at him with a hint of teeth.

“Just a few mice scurrying around trying to cause problems. I simply informed them of the consequences should they continue to harass my favorite Parisian. Honestly the smaller boy looked like he was about to wet himself by the end.” She sounded amused at the observation but Damian could hear the underlying anger in her voice.

“What about the other two?” Damian was afraid he already knew the answer but figured it was best to clarify. Selina wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“The other boy just kept cracking his knuckles trying to intimidate me but the girl… she’s got a few screws loose. Kept going on about how I was a liar and Marinette was obviously just out to get Lila… blah, blah, blah. I stopped listening after awhile. I did show her I was serious before we parted so I think it’ll take her a few days to work up the courage to try anything again.” She met Damian’s eyes with a hard smile and he could imagine her pulling out one of her knives and playing with it as she listed the consequences to the teens. Careful to avoid any cameras seeing the weapon of course. The smile that Damian offered her in response caused all the other adults in the room to glance nervously at each other and be glad it wasn’t directed at them. 


	69. Journals

“Marinette.” Officer Girard said her name gently but Damian still felt her tense up against him before she pulled back just enough to look at the woman. “Can you give me the names of the kids you saw today?” Damian didn’t miss the way she phrased the question. She was doing her best to put his soulmate at ease and not refer to her classmates as criminals. She’d obviously caught onto the fact that Marinette still wasn’t comfortable with the thought that they were abusing her. He’d admit that his opinion of the woman went up every time they interacted. 

“Alya, Nino, and Kim were the ones outside the hotel. Alix, Max, and Lila were in the alley next door.” Her voice was soft, almost like she didn’t want to be heard. Officer Girard simply wrote the names down and didn’t question her further. Instead she looked at Damian. 

“I was wondering if you could take me through what happened that day from your perspective since you’re the only one who walked into it with an outside perspective.” He just frowned at her and she shot a pointed look at Marinette who still seemed to be trying to burrow into him to hide. Right, she’d need to get his statement at some point and giving his Angel a bit to recover would likely make things easier to get her statement. So he told her what happened, putting as little emotion into the story as possible and just stating how he ended up at the school and what he saw. She asked a few questions but really there wasn’t much for them to go over. What she needed was for Marinette to talk about everything that had happened leading up to this. 

Officer Girard looked at all the people in the room and Damian could tell she was debating asking some people to leave. She wouldn’t be able to tell if it made Marinette more or less uncomfortable though. She sighed before she turned to his soulmate.

“Marinette, I need you to tell me what happened from the beginning. Not just that day but how things escalated to that point. I understand it will be hard but if we can prove a pattern of behavior it will be a lot easier to make sure they can’t ever do this to you or anyone else again.” Her tone was soft and earnest but Marinette still shrank in on herself. She wouldn’t answer or even meet anyone’s gaze and Damian could feel her anxiety rising in her song as well as the tenseness of her body. He had half a mind to go out and make them all disappear so that she didn’t have to go through this, but he had a feeling she’d object to that. She suddenly stood up and all but ran to her room.

The adults all frowned at one another but Damian was focused on what he was hearing in her song. She hadn’t left in a panic. She seemed determined more than anything else. She appeared a few minutes later with three journals in her arms. She had them clutched tightly to her chest as she walked to the table. She had to take several deep breaths before handing them over to officer Girard.

“It’s all in there. Everything’s dated. I… I started documenting everything after Lila threatened me the first time.” Officer Girard’s eye started to twitch as she started to look through the earliest journal. Damian just felt sick. Those weren’t small notebooks and she’d filled three of them in a year and a half. He noticed a deepening scowl on the woman’s face before she took a breath and looked back at Marinette.

“These are all just incidents that happened aren’t they? You didn’t write anything down in these except what happened between you and your classmates.” Marinette gave a hesitant nod. They could all hear the barely repressed fury in her tone. “May I ask why you haven’t shared this before now?” Damian tugged Marinette back into the seat beside him so he could wrap an arm around her again. He could practically feel a panic attack build.

“I tried at first. No one believed me.” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat before she continued. “At first I thought my friends would believe me but they didn’t. They all just decided that no one would lie about themselves like that and there was nothing I could say to prove otherwise. All it did was cause them to start treating me like I was the one in the wrong. The one person who did know said I should just leave it alone because eventually her lies would out themselves, but even when staring them in the face the rest of my class just ignored it. Once I realized things weren’t going to get better I tried talking to my teacher and principal. I’m not sure if they actually didn’t believe me or just didn’t want to deal with the drama.”

As she talked, everyone in the room seemed more and more likely to go out and commit murder. M. Castex was visibly appalled. Marinette’s parents kept reaching for random kitchen implements before catching themselves. He noted that Sabine tended toward the knives while Tom went for the blunt objects like a meat tenderizer. He actually caught Selina making one of the knives hidden up her sleeves appear and disappear with flawless ease. Luckily everyone else was too focused on Marinette to notice. Officer Girard was just frowning at the journals. 

“Okay. I think the best way to do this will be for me to read these over and write down any follow up questions then call M. Castex to set up another meeting. If you’re alright with me taking these. If not I can read through them and ask you questions as I go, which will likely take a few days.” Marinette didn’t like either option if her song and face were any indication. M. Castex stepped in when he saw her discomfited expression.

“How about I take them to my office and Officer Girard and I will go through them together and then if we need clarification on anything I’ll set up a time for all of us to talk again?” She was still hesitant but nodded in acceptance of the idea. It really was the best option. Officer Girard simply handed the journals over to the lawyer. She looked drained but set up times with him to go to his offices and read the journals. 

“Officer Girard?” Marinette’s voice was still hesitant and soft but the woman turned to her immediately. “Those journals… it’s a very narrow scope of the situation. They’re not monsters. Just good people who lost their way.” Damian caught Selina’s eye and could see her shock at his soulmate’s words. He was certain that even if he lived to be as old as his grandfather had he would never understand why she was still standing up for those miscreants. Officer Girard blinked at her for a solid two minutes before responding.

“Even if that is the case, they still need to face the consequences of their actions.” He could tell she was doing her best to keep her voice calm but there were a couple cracks that betrayed her. “Mob mentality may be a real problem in itself but letting people use it as an excuse to commit heinous acts is unacceptable.” Marinette nodded thoughtfully which he counted as progress. “I’ll be going now. If there’s any trouble or you need to talk don’t hesitate to call me. I’ll let you know as soon as the restraining orders are in place.” She shook hands with Marinette’s parents and Selina as she left.

Marinette just slumped into his side, relief and exhaustion fighting for precedence in her song. The more he learned, the angrier he was at himself. He had spent so long believing that his soulmate would be better off without him and that the bond itself was a liability that he’d allowed her to suffer. Sure, when he was in the League getting near her would have been a death sentence for her, but he’d been with his father for five years. There was no excuse for his behaviour. He felt Marinette poke him in the side and looked down at her.

“Only one of us is allowed to feel guilty about things they shouldn’t.” She wore a small smile and the glint of amusement in her eyes was actually mirrored in her song. He let out a short laugh and in that moment he finally believed that things could turn out all right. She may never be able to be the innocent wonder and happiness she’d had most of her life, but she was slowly letting herself be happy again.


	70. Impressions

They ended up staying for lunch. Damian probably would have found it more pleasurable if Selina hadn’t decided to stay as well. He assumed his father had asked her to keep an eye on them which was not only not necessary but irritating. Especially once she and Marinette’s parents started sharing embarrassing stories. Going by Marinette song she wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere, and he was about ten seconds away from knocking them all out with the hope her parents at least wouldn’t remember the last hour.

“Oh you should have seen it. Damian was so cute telling Bruce why I was a bad match and giving him dating advice.” This would fall under the category of justifiable homicide surely. Not that they’d ever find the body. Marinette gave his hand another comforting squeeze. They’d been barely keeping each other from going off the deep end all afternoon and he wasn’t sure which one of them would break first.

“That’s nothing. When Mari was seven she sat us down to explain where babies come from." Damian heard a strangled sound emit from the girl next to him. He did not understand the parental need to embarrass their children like this but he could hear Marinette’s song screaming in his head and knew that she didn’t want him to listen to this story. He cleared his throat pointedly and all the adults looked at him obviously amused. 

“We need to go grab some things from Marinette’s room before we head back.” He didn’t know if it was true or not but figured she might want a few changes of clothes. Even if she didn’t, it would get them away from this situation. His Angel latched onto the excuse and all but jumped out of her seat.

“Yes. Bruce and Damian invited me to stay with them for a few more days and I didn’t think you would mind.” Before her parents could respond she’d dragged Damian out of his chair and up the stairs to her room. She shut the door hard in her haste and they both heard laughter from below them. His soulmate let out another pitiful whine and buried her head in his chest. He wasn’t sure if she was seeking comfort or just hiding her face but he wrapped his arms around her with almost no hesitation and rested his chin on her head. He was getting better at the whole hugging thing or he assumed he was with the way she relaxed. Granted it was still only with her. When other people touched him it made his skin crawl.

“I’m so sorry about all of that. If I knew a way to shut them up I would have.” Her voice was muffled by his shirt but her tone and song dripped with embarrassment. Honestly he’d thought her parents stories were rather tame but she didn’t seem to agree with that opinion.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. You’ll note Selina was matching them story for story. I’m sorry you had to hear any of that.” He wanted her to get to know him better before his family corrupted her with their less than accurate recitations of his time with them. “If you think it will help I can tell your parents that I’d rather hear any information about you from only you at least until we’ve known each other longer. Given the lies that have been spread about you I’d think they’d respect that. I know there’s no hope for my family to offer the same courtesy but your parents seem more reasonable.” 

“That hardly seems fair.” She pulled back to look up at him and frowned at whatever she saw there. She stared at him long enough that he began to get concerned before her look softened. “You know I trust you right?” He just frowned in confusion.

“Of course Angel.” 

“I know you won’t believe rumors about me without proof and I know that you’d never share the stories my parents were telling with anyone else. I just…” She faltered and looked away. He couldn’t get a proper read on her emotions again and that bothered him more than anything else. “I just wish you’d had a better first impression of me and the things they’re talking about aren’t helping at all.” 

He was still confused so he kept concentrating on her song trying to ignore the obvious since it wasn’t helping. Her embarrassment was the loudest melody in his head so he tried to block that out and reach for the subtle harmonies beneath. He couldn’t really explain it but it was kind of like listening to an orchestra. The melody was usually carried by the violins and some winds. There were counter melodies in the violas and higher brass. The low brass and cellos often playing offbeats or occasionally mirroring the melody. The bass and tubas keeping a strong and steady base. In Marinette’s case that base was filled with self doubt and guilt. What he was listening to now wasn’t any of those things. No, what he was listening for was the percussion.

It was the accents and rhythm that both held everything together and ripped it apart with jarring bangs and crashes. He’d noticed early on that it was the percussion that told him the most about is soulmate because these were the emotions she was trying to repress the most. Either because she believed she didn’t deserve to feel them or because Hawkmoth could use them to Akumatize her. Unfortunately that meant he had to be more observant in order to understand what she was really going through but it was worth the effort and it would give him a better idea of what he would need to help her with once Hawkmoth was defeated. Right now her percussion was erratic at best. There was a rapid snare beat of fear interspersed with almost random cymbal crashes of self loathing. The steady thrumming of timpani's kept mostly to the bass line but would occasionally create a dissonance that radiated worry. The longer he stood there listening and not responding to her the worse it got. An epiphany hit him over the head like a sledgehammer and he mentally cursed at himself for being so stupid. 

“Marinette.” She refused to look at him so he cupped her face in his hands to bring her gaze to his. She needed to hear this and he needed to know she understood. “My first impression of you wasn’t that day at your school. Do you want to know what it was?” He could tell she was curious but still too afraid to really respond so he just kept going. “My first memory is of my mother yelling at me because I made a mistake in training. I couldn’t have been more than four at the time but they were teaching me how to build and defuse bombs. I cut the wrong wire on the practice explosive. Given that it was the League there was a small live charge attached to it in order to be a better teaching tool and incentive. I was getting my hands treated for mild burns as the woman yelled at me for my incompetence.”

The longer he talked the more horrified she looked and Damian wondered if he should have found a different way to explain things. He couldn’t go back now though so he just tried to give her a reassuring smile as he continued.

“After she and the medic left I just sat there completely alone feeling awful about everything. Then I heard you. Your song in my head wasn’t just the light and happy melody that was always present. I could hear your worry and I knew you were concerned about me. I don’t know how I knew but I did. It that moment when all anyone cared about was how useful I was you were in my head making me realize that no matter how bad things were I had at least one person that cared about me. You have no idea how much that meant to me then and still means to me now. You’ve always been my Angel and nothing will change that.”

He saw tears well up in her eyes and panicked. It had been too much. He should never have mentioned his training let alone his mother. Stupid. Before he could continue mentally berating himself she gave him the happiest, most sincere smile he’d ever seen. She hugged him tightly and they just stood there. For the first time their songs melded in a perfect harmony. There was no dissonance or minor chords just two souls content in each other. It was a moment he’d waited his whole life for and one he’d never forget.


	71. Triggers

“We should probably grab your stuff and get moving. You don’t want to be late for your meeting with Jagged and Penny.” Damian felt her start against him and tried to bite back a smile at the horror suddenly present in her song. “How do you just forget about a meeting with a famous rock star?” She pulled back to glare at him.

“I’ve had a few other things on my mind.” Her tone was dry but her eyes spoke of murder if he didn’t get his expression under control. He really did try.

“If it makes you feel any better at least you didn’t forget your fiance.” She tried to keep glaring but amusement slowly worked its way into her gaze. She might have regained control if not for the indignant yell from below them.

“I heard that Damian. Keep it up and you’ll be in the dog house with Bruce!” He saw Marinette struggle for composure for a few more seconds before she burst into giggles that she tried to muffle with her hand. It didn’t work. “Oh that’s right, laugh it up kiddo. Just remember your soulmate shares those genes.” They were both laughing now though Damian could feel some pain through her song. It was a dull ache rather than a sharp pain so he decided to ignore it. Once they’d regained their composure Marinette started whipping around her room grabbing clothes and other essentials along with a couple different sketchbooks. 

When they went back downstairs, Selina was still talking to Marinette’s parents and he could guess the topic. It took everything in him not to roll his eyes. He cleared his throat to get their attention but they ignored him. He would have thought they didn’t hear him if not for the slight smile that appeared on Tom’s face. He was not in the mood for Selina’s games right now.

He took Marinette’s hand and headed for the door. There was concern for him in her eyes and song and he realized what his own melody sounded like. They made it to the front door of the bakery before she tugged him to a stop. He just stood there looking outside to avoid her gaze.

“Are you okay?” He took a few deep breaths as he debated his answer. Obviously he wasn’t but he wondered if he should tell her, burden her with more of his problems.

“I’ll be fine.” It was the truth but it wasn’t what she’d asked.

“Damian, you know you don’t have to tell me things about you that you don’t wish to but I want to help. You’ve been nothing but kind and supportive of me and I’d like to return the favor.” Her tone was hesitant but also hopeful. Damian just let out a sigh before he answered.

“Selina likes to push people’s buttons. She figured out that I have a problem with being ignored so she tends to use that to annoy me.” She was frowning up at him but he had no idea what she was looking for.

“You should tell her how much pain it causes you and ask her to stop.” He couldn’t help but stare at her in confusion. Not for her advice, no that he very much expected. What baffled him was that she didn’t ask why it bothered him so much. Every time one of his family found out about his ‘problem’ as it was dubbed, they interrogated him for a solid week to get the answer to why. HIs Angel wouldn’t push the issue and suddenly it felt okay to tell her even though he’d never wanted to tell anyone.

“When I was little, my mother had a variety of punishments set up for me. The most common was her pretending I didn’t exist. She would instruct everyone else to act the same until I did something that would restore me in her eyes. I once went solid two months without anyone talking directly to me. It would have been peaceful if not for the fact that I could feel them staring at me constantly.” 

“Do you want me to tell Selina to knock it off?” There was a hint of a threat in her tone and he could help but smile down at her. 

“No. As long is you don’t do it I’ll be fine.” Her look was skeptical and he understood why but he did mean it. He could suffer through any number of things with relative ease, but he wasn’t sure he could survive his soulmate treating him in any way like his mother had. Just the thought made him shudder and want to gag.

“I swear. And if I ever do anything to upset you promise you’ll tell me?” He just nodded and offered her a small smile before opening the door to the street.

“Come on Angel you have a rock star waiting for you.”


	72. Mme Rossi

They made it back to the hotel without running into any of Marinette’s classmates but when they walked into the lobby they saw a woman arguing with Jagged and Penny. Damian thought she looked familiar but couldn’t place her. When he looked at Marinette she just shrugged so they moved a bit closer to hear the discussion.

“M. Stone I appreciate your position but my daughter is a good girl and didn’t agree to have this posted online. She was doing a mock interview for her friend to help her practice. Lila had no way of knowing the girl would put it on her blog.” That’s why he recognised her. The woman’s facial features were similar to the liar’s. She seemed earnest though. It was hard to tell if she was being duped by her daughter or was just a much better liar than she was. 

“Mme. Rossi your daughter is a liar and a bully and that video isn’t the only one she’s had on that blog. She claims to be best friends with Ladybug in the very first one that was posted almost two years ago now and has been claiming to know other famous people ever since. If you haven’t yet, you will be hearing from more than just our lawyers.” Penny’s words caused the other woman to sputter in indignation. Jagged just stood behind his wife with a smug look on his face. 

“That can’t be true, I would have known about it. Even if these videos exist I’m certain those friends are the ones who put her up to it. My baby would never do anything like this without provocation. I’m sure if you talked to her you would see that she isn’t capable of it.” Damian could hear shock and disbelief in Marinette’s song and his wasn’t much better. The woman had to be delusional.

“I have no wish to ever be near your daughter. Even if what you claim is true, and it’s not by the way, she’s hurt someone very dear to me and I have no intention of letting her get away with using my name to continue doing so. It’s the most un-rock-n-roll thing I’ve ever heard of.”

“And who is she supposedly hurting? I’ve met all her classmates and they all love her.” Damian watched Penny and Jagged share a look. Marinette was frozen beside him and he’d heard enough. He coughed to get their attention. They all turned to glare at him though Jagged and Penny’s expressions softened as soon as they caught sight of them. Mme. Rossi on the other hand just looked annoyed with the interruption. Given that she hadn’t been gaining any ground you would have thought she’d welcome the break.

“Little M! ‘Bout time you showed up. Is your boy still treating you right? You just say the word if he isn’t.” Marinette could only blink at the rapid onslaught of words.

“It’s good to see you again M. Stone.” Damian’s tone was a bit dry but rockstar didn’t take offense. He just laughed good naturedly and slapped him on the back, perhaps a little harder than necessary. Penny just rolled her eyes at them before putting an arm around Marinette’s shoulders.

“We’re not done talking.” Mme. Rossi snapped at them but looked a bit guilty when Marinette flinched. She frowned as she got a good look at his soulmate. He didn’t really think about her bruises but to someone just seeing her for the first time it had to be a shock. The healing process had begun but that just made everything look worse due to all the different colors that adorned her face.

“Madam, we were done before this conversation began. Your daughter has been lying to and manipulating people ever since she came to Paris. I suggest you look into the facts before you try to convince others of her innocence. I’m not dropping my lawsuit. If that girl isn’t punished things are only going to get worse.” Jagged had taken up a protective stance between the woman and Penny and Marinette. Damian joined him and they really did make a rather effective wall, 

“You’re wrong and I'm going to prove it.” Her parting words rang hollow to three of them but Damian felt Marinette start to panic. Penny noticed as well.

“It’ll be alright Mari. She won’t be able to find a way to discredit our evidence. Even if Lila manages to talk Alya into taking all the videos down and claim she made Lila make those videos we have copies and can prove it wasn’t done under duress.” Damian couldn’t help the smug smile that appeared at those words. He’d had Tim and Babs break into Alya’s system and download the full, unedited videos. They’d sent them off to Penny and Jagged assuming that Lila would try something. Running to her mom wasn’t expected, but she may have not had a choice if her mother was served with the papers. Damian smiled a little at the liar having to try and come up with excuses to her mother.

“Why don’t we eat in our room? It’ll give us a chance to get to know Damian better and you won’t feel like everyone is staring at you.” He felt relief flood into Marinette’s song at Penny’s invitation. He hadn’t realized just how tense she’d become since it had been building since they left the bakery.

“That sounds like a great idea.” Damian gave the woman as close to a smile as he could manage.

“Great! That means you can meet Fang. He still has to approve of you before you can be cleared to date my niece.” Marinette let out a choked little whine, it was actually adorable, but Damian froze. Date? The hadn’t discussed anything of the sort yet. Did everyone expect that to happen? Did Marinette even want that to happen? He crashed back to the present when he felt a hand on his cheek. He looked down into his Angels eyes and decided in that moment he wasn’t opposed to the idea. With everything that had happened he just hadn’t had time to really consider it.

“Come on. Let’s go eat.” She offered him a reassuring smile before taking his hand and tugging him towards the elevator. As they waited or the elevator to get to their floor he thought about his need to protect her, how comfortable he felt around her, how much he actually enjoyed her company, how they understood each other, and how nice the way she was playing with his fingers felt. No, he wasn’t opposed to the idea at all.


	73. Fang

Damian grew more cautious as they neared Jagged’s suite. He knew Jagged had a pet crocodile. He knew that out in public he kept it on a leash. He knew Marinette acted as if it were a puppy. He did not know if it got free roam of the room when Jagged wasn’t there. Therefore he did not know if it would ambush them when they walked in the door. Even Marinette’s calming song couldn’t stop him from entering slowly and trying to look everywhere at once.

“Fang!” Marinette’s happy squeal actually caused him to jump as she ran towards a lump on the floor. A lump that started wiggling as soon as she got close. A lump that actually rolled over so she could scratch its belly. He was starting to think someone had actually genetically modified a puppy to make it look like a crocodile. He did still tense up when his soulmate got far too close to its mouth for comfort. He was distracted by Jagged throwing an arm around his shoulders. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to not flip the man onto the ground.

“Fang’s the best judge of character I’ve ever seen. Took to Mari straight away. Tried to eat Bob Ross, which I really should have paid more attention to at the time.” He turned thoughtful for a moment before grinning and shoving Damian towards the reptile. “Best get this over with. If Fang doesn’t approve you may as well head back to America.” He sounded far too happy about that possibility.

“Uncle Jagged! That’s not nice.” The rockstar just scoffed and Damian could see Penny trying not to laugh out of the corner of his eye.

“My job isn’t to be nice Little M. My job is to scare off any unsuitable suitors that dare cross your path.” His face was serious but there was a lightness in his tone that didn’t fit with the words. Marinette just rolled her eyes at him. 

“We just met. Besides, have you ever heard of a soulmate pair that was badly matched? Even the ones that don’t end up romantically involved always stay close.” Jagged pretended to look affronted.

“How dare you use logic on me when I’m trying to be irrational and overprotective.” Marinette just sighed and shook her head before holding a hand out to Damian.

“Come and meet Fang. Don’t worry he’s a big softie just like Uncle J.” Penny finally lost her battle and broke into laughter while Jagged huffed out a weak ‘Hey!’ Damian cautiously approached as Fang watched him. When he took Marinette’s hand the crocodile flipped back over and turned to sniff at Damian. He tensed a bit and his Angel gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Lot of good that’ll do if Fang takes off his other one. Suddenly the animal was wriggling in almost the same way he had when he spotted Marinette. 

He cautiously reached out to scratch Fang’s side and was rewarded by a happy tail thump. He was a little caught up in his soulmate’s encouraging smile and missed the crocs shift in body position. He grunted as Fang rammed his shins making him fall backwards. Next thing he knew his lap was full of crocodile as Fang offered up his belly the same way he had to Marinette. He knew one thing for sure at that moment. Fang needed to go on a diet.

“Huh, I’ve never seen him take to anyone so fast.” Jagged seemed genuinely confused while Penny snapped some pictures.

“Animals tend to like me. The feeling’s mutual as I usually prefer them to people anyway.” Penny started laughing again and he could hear the humor in Marinette’s song. Jagged simply continued to look at Fang. 

“I’ve been betrayed by my own pet.” He gave a dramatic sigh before joining Penny in laughing. Damian was sure he was quite a sight. He was also pinned under an eight hundred pound reptile and losing feeling in his legs. Thankfully Marinette decided to get up from her crouched position and Fang followed. It seemed that Fang was yet another creature that would follow his Angel anywhere.

The thought caused Damian to pause as he watched his soulmate talk to Jagged about ideas for his tour outfits. He felt an odd pang in his chest as he thought of all the people and other beings that seemed enamored with his soulmate. Sure her class had turned on her but he had a feeling that if Lila Rossi didn’t exist, those same classmates would be devoted to Marinette. There was something about the energy around her that just called people to her. He had to wonder exactly how Lila had managed to counteract that natural pull. 

He was deep in thought when Penny appeared in front of him with a menu and he had to force himself back into the present. Once they ordered dinner they all sat at the table and the conversation quickly devolved into Jagged telling embarrassing stories about Marinette. Damian was going to try and stop him but Marinette gave him a look and shook her head. He supposed this was rather tame compared to the stories her parents had. He couldn’t help but feel a little guilty that he was getting so much information on her while she got nothing, but her song was calm and amused so he put it to the back of his mind for the moment.

The food had just arrived when Damian felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He let out a frustrated breath, full well expecting one of his siblings to be giving him grief. What he wasn’t expecting was a text from his father containing four words that let a feeling of dread in his gut.

“We have a problem.” 


	74. Accidental Kidnapping

Damian showed the text to Marinette and heard her sigh. The disappointment in her song mirrored his. This was the first time they’d gotten to relax. The first time he’d really seen Marinette let her guard down around someone besides him. He listened as she gave Jagged an excuse for their departure before practically dragging him out of the suit and to the rooms his family were supposed to be staying in. Once the door was closed he called his father and put it on speaker.

“This had better be a real emergency.” He knew his tone was insubordinate at best but didn’t care. Marinette tried to give him a disapproving look but her heart wasn’t in it.

“Adrien’s bodyguard showed up.” Marinette let out a curse in Mandrin and Damian would admit he was a little impressed. 

“Have Plagg pretend to be Nathalie and send him away.” They’d left Plagg in case Gabriel called but this was just as good of a use of their skills. There was a pause and Damain thought he heard Red Hood in the background yell ‘Why didn’t we think of that?”. Damian could feel a headache coming on. 

“We’re a bit past that point I’m afraid.” Bruce’s voice was calm but Damian could hear the strain. 

“How far past?” Marinette’s voice was hard as she tried to reign in her frustration. He knew it was aimed at the situation rather than them. Adrien and Nathalie had both told them, separately, that the man would be on vacation until the morning Gabriel was set to return to the country. Either they were lied to or the man didn’t understand the meaning of vacation.

“He was in the gate before we realized he was there. Oracle reset all the passcodes to enter after that happened but the damage is done.” Damian could practically feel Marinette’s mind trying to process this new information and problem. Damian however heard something change in his father’s voice.

“What else?” There was dead silence on the other end of the line and he cursed internally. Anything that caused that group to go silent had to be catastrophic. 

“He wasn’t alone.” Damian could almost feel Marinette’s attention snap back to the phone in his hand and his father continued. “Apparently the bodyguard was alerted there might be something wrong when Adrien’s normal fencing partner called to ask him why Adrien didn’t show up for practice. She insisted on coming with him.”

“We’ll be right there.” Damian hung up as soon as she said the words. Rather than moving immediately he pulled her into a hug and she latched onto him. “Why can’t anything ever just be simple?” He would have laughed at the words but he could hear a desolate edge to her song. Everything was piling up on her too fast and she was trying too hard to figure out how to fit everything into the big picture. The fact that absolutely nothing seemed to be going to plan probably wasn’t helping her stress level at all. 

“It’s going to be okay Angel. You’ll figure it out.” He knew it was the wrong thing to say as it was coming out of his mouth but there seemed to be a disconnect between his brain and mouth so he couldn’t stop the words. She started crying against his chest.

“I don’t want to figure it out. I don’t want to have to be the responsible one. Just once I want to let someone else deal with it. I want all this to be over. I want everything to just be a bad dream.” The tears and the outburst had been a long time coming. He didn’t realize it until that moment but pressure had been building inside her for months and she hadn’t been able to let it out. Knowing with absolute certainty that Hawkmoth couldn’t send an Akuma after her seemed to have weakened her barriers. He could tell exactly how much she needed that release so he just let her cry while covertly sending a text to his father that they might be delayed. It was the least he could do. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as her sobs grew quieter and eventually stopped. She didn’t let go or back away even when the tears had completely stopped. 

“I wish we could just stay like this. I wish we could have met when I wasn’t a complete mess.” Damian laid his cheek on her head before answering. He was careful with his words, making sure the right ones came out this time.

“You needed me so I came. Perhaps a bit too slow but I’m here now and I’ll continue to be here regardless of how much of a mess we both are. Perhaps we couldn’t meet before because we weren’t ready. At least I wasn’t ready.” She pulled back to look at him and he allowed his grip to loosen. She was staring at him but he had no idea what she was looking for. Her song didn’t betray much either. Finally she took a deep breath.

“We should go. I don’t really want to wait and see if your family manages to kidnap anyone else on accident.” A strange sensation filled his chest and suddenly Damian was laughing harder than he ever had before. She grinned back at him before stepping away to transform. He donned his Robin outfit and they headed back to the mansion to tackle this new problem. He was certain that together they could do anything. 


	75. Yet Another Complication

Once they got back to the mansion Plagg was waiting for them. The Kwami looked like they were enjoying themself far too much. Ladybug gave them a stern look but it did absolutely nothing.

“They kept them in the foyer. The girl is rather annoyed though honestly I’m pretty sure that’s just her normal expression.” Ladybug frowned in thought.

“Do you know who she is Plagg?” The creature just shrugged.

“Don’t remember a name. She’s super serious all the time. I think she had a crush on the idiot before he started getting too bad. Him waxing poetic about Ladybug annoyed her a lot. I’m pretty sure she was Akumatized because of it once before she decided he wasn’t worth her time.” Ladybug groaned.

“Yeah I remember that. Chat was extremely smug but I didn’t understand why at the time. He kept pointing out how pretty she was trying to make me jealous.” She let out an exasperated breath before straightening her shoulders and heading towards the foyer. Damian followed as Plagg flew into his collar to hide.

Their entrance brought relief to his family, confusion to the bodyguard, and Plagg was right about the girl. She just looked pissed. She looked familiar to him but he couldn’t place from where.

“Mlle. Tsurugi I’m sorry you were caught up in this.” His soulmate’s voice was stiff and her song seemed strained. He was too busy paying attention to her for the name to penetrate properly at first. Once it did he took a closer look at her and realized how he knew her. Her entire family wasn’t just known for their dominance in fencing but also for the fierceness they showed in battle. He put himself between the girl and Ladybug who offered him a puzzled expression.

“So you’ve decided one conquest isn’t good enough for you. Your partner, then a model, and now another hero. Tell me, how do they feel about being part of a harem? Or did you not tell them about each other?” Ladybug’s face remained a blank mask but Damian heard her song falter with hurt and her self loathing started to surface again. How dare this child, who only played at fighting, talk to her like that.

“Don’t speak of things you know nothing about.” His voice was cold and he watched his brothers stiffen. He imagined it was because of how much like his father he sounded in that moment. He was going to continue but Ladybug put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

“I don’t know what rumors you’ve heard but I’ve never encouraged anyone’s attentions. I’m sorry if Adrien being infatuated with a girl that doesn’t exist caused you pain, but I’m no more responsible for that than celebrities are for what their fans believe they feel for them.” Her voice was steady but he could feel how she was using her hand on his shoulder to ground herself. The fencer was simply frowning at her, but it appeared thoughtful rather than antagonistic. Ladybug turned to address the bodyguard. “Monsieur, could I please talk to you in private for a moment?”

Damian turned to go with them but his soulmate shook her head at him. He scowled at the door as they left and would have followed anyway but he caught sight of Gen and Red Wasp as the door opened. Instead he simply stood there ignoring the girl in front of him. 

“If Ladybug isn’t involved with Adrien then why are you all here?” There was a clear demand in her tone but Damian didn’t answer. Neither did Nightwing or Red Hood and both seemed to be doing everything they could to blend into the walls. “She should be tracking down Hawkmoth rather than shacking up with a model..” Damian couldn’t help the eye roll that surfaced at her words and he noticed she was studying him. She wasn’t talking to vent or get answers, she was doing it to see how they reacted. Her threat level went up in his head. Before he could figure out what to do about it Ladybug came back in with Red Wasp and Gen.

“You’re sure she’s trustworthy? If you’re wrong and you tell her too much I’ll have to take your Miraculous permanently.” Red Wasp nodded and was about to respond when their captive spoke.

“Chloe?” Dead silence filled the room for about ten seconds. Damian felt shock through the bond before it seemed like his soulmate’s brain just shut down. She finally turned to Red Wasp.

“I thought you said you hadn’t met your soulmate.” Her tone was flat and Red Wasp flinched at what she thought was censure but Damian could tell Ladybug just didn’t know how to react to this new problem.

“That’s why your soul is so familiar!” Gen’s exclamation startled everyone. Red Hood actually had one of his guns out before he seemed to realize what he was doing and quickly put it away. 

“Care to elaborate?” Damian tried to keep his tone neutral and failed miserably. His impatience shone through and Gen had the audacity to grin at him before turning to Red Wasp.

“You three have one of the most convoluted bonds I’ve ever seen. I’ve actually tried to fix it multiple times in the past but nothing I do seems to help. Basically, two of you can hear each other and the third, in this case Mlle. Tsurugi, has some of the other effects of the bond but won’t be able to hear your songs until you and the other one meet. Once that happens you’ll both hear her song and she’ll suddenly be able to hear all three. Granted I’ve never been able to make sure of that before since in past lives the third never met the other two until after they’d completed the bond but apparently I was right.” She raised an eyebrow at the fencer. “Unless of course you started hearing her song when you touched for the first time?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t have a soulmate.” She sounded confused and slightly offended but Gen just shrugged.

“You can believe me or not that’s up to you, but the fact that you recognized Chloe through the Miraculous magic, especially with how altered her appearance is, proves that I’m right. This will actually be quite fascinating to study.” Her excitement wasn’t shared by anyone else in the room. Chloe just looked shell-shocked but the fencer had disbelief written all over her face and posture. Nightwing and Red Hood were trying to melt into the walls again. Ladybug was staring off into space and anyone would have thought she’d just checked out. Damian however could feel her mind trying to process this new information. Her words from no more than an hour ago suddenly seemed appropriate. Why couldn’t anything be simple?

“Well I hope she’s as reasonable and reliable as you thought because she’s part of this now just like the rest of us.” Ladybug addressed Red Wasp but she was still doing her best to stare a hole through the wall. “You and Gen can catch her up on the situation minus my identity at least until I have a chance to talk to her as well.”

“You can talk to me now. I’m right here.” The girls words had both an angry and petulant sound to them and Damian actually growled at her before he caught himself. Ladybug stepped around him towards the fencer obviously ignoring his caution.

“Kagami, I bear you no ill will. I never have. The reason I asked Chloe to explain is because you already know her and are more likely to believe what she says. I also have other priorities that must be dealt with so I won’t have time to answer your questions to your satisfaction. Plus if Gen is correct you two probably need to talk about other things as well.” His soulmate’s voice was far more gentle than the brat deserved but it seemed to finally break through to the girl. She cocked her head searching for something in the hero before her.

“I’ve misjudged you horribly haven’t I?”


	76. Reality Check

Damian watched as Ladybug offered Kagami a tired smile. “It’s a rather common occurrence on both sides of the mask, unfortunately. I’m used to it at this point.” There was no sting, no accusation in her tone but the fencer still flinched. “You made assumptions based on the only information you had. We all do it to some extent. Now you’re getting new information so you will reassess those assumptions. I just hope I come out a little better this time around.” The joke had the exact opposite effect she wanted.

“How can you be so flippant about this?” Kagami practically exploded in frustration. “I didn’t just think badly of you I told my opinion to others who believed me because I’d actually met you. But in reality my opinion was fixed before that and our actual interaction had no bearing on it. People think badly of you because of me.” The poor girl looked like she was going to explode with shame, but all Damian heard from Ladybug was confusion.

“People who are willing to take someone else’s word about such a thing without first hand knowledge or getting the other side of the story are going to do so regardless of the situation. There will always be people who like or dislike me based solely on the opinion of others. But in the end those people don’t really matter. You are willing to look at the evidence in front of you and make an informed decision. You’re willing to admit you might be wrong and take the time to find out.” She offered the girl a real smile, one that lit up the room and seemed to stun everyone except Gen. “I’m used to people taking someone else’s side over mine but at least you did it because you were concerned about your friend rather than on the words of a stranger.”

Damian felt his temper rising at the allusion to her classmates. Those ungrateful morons had completely warped her sense of self worth to the point that anyone even questioning all the terrible things said about her made her grateful. The fencer was looking at her as if trying to figure out what she was. Whatever she decided seemed to make her extremely uneasy.

“I don’t know who or what made you think it’s okay for people to just dismiss you based on rumors and I obviously have no right to tell you otherwise given my own behavior.” She glanced at the others in the room. “It looks like you have people better suited to help you understand how you should be treated anyway. I know you have no reason to like or trust me but my sword arm is yours should the need arise. With or without the mask.”

Damian felt her start to choke up before she gave any visible sign of it but when her eyes started to tear up Kagami looked panicked. The poor girl just froze completely as Ladybug gave a blinding smile and hugged her. Kagami stood stiff while her eyes darted around the room for help. Red Wasp had a small amused smile on her face and Kagami glared at her until she rolled her eyes and stepped forward.

“Ladybug, I believe you said you have other things to attend to.” Ladybug pulled back and gave Red Wasp a knowing look.

“And you want time to talk to your soulmate.” Both girls cheeks reddened and Damian could feel Ladybug’s satisfaction. “But first… Plagg, Trixx what do you think?” The two Kwami’s zoomed up to Kagami’s face. The fencer barely flinched though she did look confused. Trixx scrunched up their nose in what almost seemed disgust.

“Certainly not for me. She is what she seems. There’s nothing for me to work with.” Ladybug rolled her eyes as Plagg flew around Kagami studying her.

“What do you think Plagg?” 

“The Kwami of Strength would be a good fit. Strength of body, strength of will, and strength of purpose are all present in this one. Strength of emotion not as much but she is not so set that it can’t be improved upon.” Kagami just looked even more confused as the creature talked but Ladybug simply nodded thoughtfully. 

“You’re thinking of making her a holder?” Red Wasp sounded wary though Damian couldn’t figure out why. His soulmate was apparently far more perceptive.

“She’s about to know far too much to not be in danger. She already knows enough that she’s a danger to you should Hawkmoth find out.” Kagami looked insulted but Red Wasp seemed dazed. “The Miraculous act as a bit of a buffer. As you know it’s not foolproof.” Red Wasp flinched. “It does grant a certain amount of protection though and will allow her to protect both herself and you should the need arise. I would like to test her but we may not have time. The Kwami’s are very rarely wrong about compatibility.”

“She’s right, and so is Plagg. Roaar will like this one and I know it’s been a long time since they had a compatible holder.” Gen’s words startled everyone. She had been observing without moving or speaking so long it seemed that everyone forgot she was in the room. “I can keep an eye on her just in case but I know her soul better than most and I believe she’ll be a good ally for you.”

“Is someone going to explain what you’re talking about or am I supposed to guess?” Kagami sounded irritated but Damian thought it was at least partly a front for nervousness. Ladybug offered her an apologetic smile.

“Chloe and Gen can explain but in simple terms I may take you up on the offer of your sword arm.” Kagami just blinked at her for a moment, expression unreadable until exasperation took over.

“Just like that? Ten minutes ago you and I were enemies and now you’re willing to trust me at your back?” Ladybug frowned at her and Damian could hear confusion and a hint of hurt in her song.

“I’ve never considered us enemies. When you were Akumatized you were someone I had to save. When you weren’t you avoided me but I never found you particularly antagonistic.” Uncertainty took root in her expression and song. “But if you don’t want to help I understand. It’s dangerous and a lot to take in.” 

“You completely missed my point.” Kagami’s voice was dry but Damian detected a hint of amusement and glared at her. She ignored him. “You trust too easily and it will most likely hurt you when you’re betrayed by someone you put faith in you shouldn’t have.” Ladybug looked like she’d been slapped and Red Wasp inhaled sharply before stepping between them and taking Ladybug by the shoulders and locking eyes with her.

“Why don’t you and the Bat boys go check on things. We’ve got this covered.” He watched his soulmate blink back tears as she nodded. Damian watched Kagami’s confusion and tried to calm down. He kept telling himself she didn’t mean anything by it. She didn’t know who Ladybug was and had no idea what had happened to Marinette. It still took all his self control to take Ladybug by the hand and lead her out of the room ahead of his brothers rather than attacking the fencer. But he did manage it.


	77. Hope

Once they were all out of the room Chloe let out the breath she’d been holding. She turned back to Kagami and saw the confusion on her face. This was not going to be simple. She turned to Gen instead.

“You’re certain that we’re soulmates?” She couldn’t help the slight hope in her tone. After having a soulmate who’d been avoiding her her entire life the thought of one so close was a bit overwhelming. Gen gave her a sympathetic look.

“I’m sure.” Kagami was looking back and forth between them obviously trying to get a read on the situation. 

“Could you give us a few minutes?” Gen just nodded and followed after the others. Chloe allowed her transformation to drop and Pollen hovered anxiously by her face.

“My Queen.” Chloe smiled at Kwami. Pollen had always been a bright spot in a mostly dim life. Even though they hadn’t been able to spend much time together, the creature was probably her best friend. A sad comment on her life to be sure but she was grateful nonetheless. 

“What exactly is that?” Most would be offended by Kagami’s tone but Chloe knew it was just a cover for her discomfort. They both had a tendency to go on the offensive when out of their element. It was actually one of the reasons they got along so well.

“Pollen is a Kwami. They are what give the Miraculous their powers.” Kagami and Pollen stared at each other and Chloe had to hold back laughter when they blinked in tandem. Finally Pollen hummed it what seemed to be approval.

“Plagg is right. Roaar will like this one.” Chloe grinned but Kagami just looked confused.

“Roaar is another Kwami. If Ladybug decides to let you fight with us you will need a Miraculous.” Kagami just frowned at her.

“I still don’t understand why she would consider such a thing. She knows nothing of me other than that I’ve been Akumatized and disliked her. It seems a rather ill judged decision.” Chloe sighed both at the truth of her words and the knowledge of exactly why Ladybug was even considering it.

“Perhaps, but the current situation makes prudence a secondary concern. She’s trusting you because I told her she could.” She knew Marinette trusted her judgement more than her own right now. It had Chloe on edge to see the hero so unsure of herself. They both fell into silence as neither knew how to bring up what they really wanted to talk about. Chloe was so nervous she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. This was ridiculous.

“Do you really trust this Gen person? It seems rather far fetched that we could be soulmates.” Kagami’s words caused a sharp pain in Chloe’s chest. The thought that she could have two soulmates that wanted nothing to do with her was too cruel to deal with. She started to choke up and tears came to her eyes. Pollen and Kagami both panicked.

“My Queen! You need to breathe. Do you want me to go get someone?” Pollen was fluttering about in anxiety and Chloe tried to get herself back under control to ease the creatures worry. Pollen didn’t deserve to deal with her neurosis. 

“I didn’t mean… I’ve never considered… I don’t…” Kagami let out a sound of frustration as her words seemed to fail her before running a hand through her hair and letting out a sigh. “Chloe, I didn’t mean to imply that I would find such a thing unappealing. My whole life I’ve known that I don’t have a soulmate, just as you’ve always known you do have one. It’s a bit of a stretch for me to think that I’ve been wrong all this time.” Chloe could only nod in response. Of course Kagami would be skeptical and want proof. It was perfectly reasonable. Chloe continued taking deep breaths to try and calm herself.

“I understand. To answer your question, yes I trust Gen in this matter. She’s the only one uniquely qualified to make such a determination.” Her body and words were both stiff and Chloe couldn’t bring herself to look Kagami in the eye for fear of what she would find there. She’d more or less made peace with the fact that she’d never find her soulmate since they didn’t want to be found but finding out she had a second one in such a manner was wreaking havoc on her control. She was desperately trying to find her center before she had to face whatever this would mean for them.

“Chloe.” She flinched at Kagami’s voice, she couldn’t help it. “I don’t know what has happened between you and our other soulmate.” Chloe felt her brain stop at those words. Our other soulmate. That had to mean Kagami believed her, right? “I do know that most people who have soulmates talk about them far more than you do so it’s probably not something pleasant for all you haven’t actually met.” Chloe had to swallow back tears before she could answer the implied question.

“Anytime I’ve gotten close they’ve run. After the first time I never specifically tried to find them but when traveling with my parents it’s happened a few times.” Chloe had wished so many times that she could hear her own song so she could understand what in it was scaring her soulmate away. Their song had always been… muted. There had to be a better way to explain it but that’s all she could think of. It was like listening through glass most of the time. The only exceptions were flashes of strong emotions like fear or anger. She would admit that some of those flashes had scared her as well but it didn’t diminish her wish to find them. There had to be something wrong with her for them to be so set on never meeting.

Chloe was startled out of her thoughts as Kagami took hold of both her hands. She finally looked at the other girl and was almost overcome with relief when all she saw was sympathy. Kagami rubbed soothing circles on the back of Chloe’s hands as she refused to break eye contact. For all they couldn’t hear each other Chloe had never felt closer to someone. There was a peace, a calmness, that seemed to expand around them. It made Chloe feel safer than she had in a very long time.


	78. Accidental Fix

Damian stood against the wall watching Adrien’s bodyguard. He had no idea what the man had said to his soulmate but Ladybug seemed to think he wasn’t a problem. He wasn’t restrained and she seemed to think having him in the same room as Adrien wouldn’t cause issues. So of the two people who shouldn’t have any idea what was going on and they absolutely shouldn’t trust, one was now guarding one of their prisoners and the other might end up fighting with them. He was getting a migraine. 

Red Hood stood next to him still refusing to let Adrien out of his sight for fear of Chloe’s retribution. He still didn’t understand why his brother’s were so afraid of the girl but it did provide entertainment. Ladybug had gone to check in with Red Robin and Oracle and while Damian didn’t like having her out of his sight he was more concerned about Adrien having an ally. 

Ladybug poked her head in and smiled at the giant in the corner. Damian was a little shocked when the man smiled back at her since it was the most expression he’d seen. Adrien seemed to think her smile was aimed at him and gave a idiotic grin that Damian wanted to slap off his face. Perhaps not the healthiest reaction but his need to keep the former hero away from his soulmate got stronger by the day. His instincts were almost screaming at him. When he saw the uneasy expression on her face he knew she could feel it too. Then she looked at him and her entire expression changed. His breath caught at the look but he didn’t understand why.

“Robin I need to speak with you.” When he glanced at the bodyguard she just gave him a reassuring smile. He just huffed out a breath in annoyance and followed her into the hallway.

“Is there something about him you know that we don’t?” He couldn’t help the annoyance in his tone. The longer they were holed up in this house the more stressed he seemed to get, and he wasn’t the only one.

“Yes, but that’s not what I need to talk to you about.” He just frowned down at her and she had the audacity to giggle at him. “You know what happened to Tim?” 

“Of course. Did you figure out the exact cause?” She looked hesitant and uncertain.

“Yes and no. I’m fairly certain it has something to do with the experiments M. Agreste has been doing to create more Miraculous. I think it’s affecting you as well.” He let out an indignant huff but she continued. “Your mood and song have been getting darker the longer we’re here but the second we leave the grounds it’s like a cloud has lifted. It’s not just you either. We need to find a way to either stop the effects or cleanse the house.”

“And how exactly would we do that?”

“Tikki has a few ideas…” She suddenly refused to meet his eyes and he saw a blush creeping onto her face. What could the Kwami have said to her? “But I think I want to consult with Gen and see if she has any suggestions. I would think with the Kwami of Creation, Destruction, and Renewal we would be able to fix the problem.” He opened his mouth once again to ask what exactly Tikki had suggested but was interrupted by Chloe, Kagami, and Gen walking towards them. His soulmate’s smile held a touch of relief that just made him more confused.

“Are we interrupting something?” Gen was looking between them as if seeing something no one else could. Given the little he knew about her it wouldn’t surprise him if she was.

“No. Is everything okay with you two?” Chloe and Kagami shared a look and Damian had to fight back a small smile. They may not be able to hear each other but it looked like they could already communicate without words. 

“We’re good. Though Kagami still thinks you’re insane for trusting her.” Gen let out a snort of laughter at Chloe’s words while Kagami gave them both a flat look before turning to Ladybug.

“I do not pretend to understand any of this and I doubt I’ll ever understand your reasoning. Still if you wish to give me the opportunity to destroy the man who managed to take my free will along with that of so many others, I’m not going to say no.” Ladybug laughed. Really laughed at least until it hurt her ribs. Damian had a strong urge to hug Kagami for making his soulmate happy though he’d never actually do so. 

“Well then, welcome to the team.” She held out a hand which Kagami accepted. Before they let go Ladybug’s expression shifted to one of confusion. Damian watched in horror and confusion as her transformation dropped and she, Kagami, and Chloe all clutched their heads in pain. The other girls seemed to recover quickly but Marinette went pale and collapsed. Damian barely caught her before she hit the ground and cradled her to his chest.

“Gen what’s going on?” He realized too late that she might find his tone offensive but she was already focused on Marinette’s unconscious form. Nixx came out of nowhere to land on her chest. The Kwami appeared to be pulsing light and there was a slight hum coming from them. Tikki had taken up residence on his shoulder and was oddly quiet.

“I’m not entirely sure…” She looked at the other girls, squinting at the area around them if he had to guess, before cursing. “Oh that’s just great. I spent a millennia trying to fix this soulmate bond and she did it without even trying.” Chloe and Kagami were just staring at each other with wonder on their faces and Damian realized that whatever had just happened, it seemed that those two could now hear each other’s songs. 

“But what about Marinette? What’s wrong with her.” Gen blinked at him before shaking her head as if to clear it. She walked over and put a hand over his soulmate’s eyes. Soon she started humming in the same pitch coming from Nixx. She slowly removed her hand before looking up at him.

“There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s worn out. I’m not sure what she did but it drained all her energy. Nixx will stay with her to keep her asleep and speed her recovery. Tikki do you know what just happened?” The Kwami shook her head, eyes wide.

“I just felt a surge of power. The same as when she healed Red Robin. It seems to be something that comes from within her rather than from me.” Gen gave a thoughtful hum while staring down at the girl in his arms. 

“For such a little thing she sure makes huge ripples. You two need to stay together. And I don’t mean near each other. You need to be in physical contact at all times until we figure out what’s going on.” She was staring straight at him and the look in her eyes worried him.

“I don’t understand.” Those words felt like they were ripped out of him. He hated not knowing things but admitting that he didn’t know was a sign of weakness he never allowed himself. Gen sighed and looked frustrated, though it didn’t seem directed at him.

“I’m not entirely sure I do either. All I know is that you ground each other. This place is wreaking havoc with everyone and I think her powers are trying to compensate to balance the evil radiating from the house.”

“She wanted to ask your advice about how to fix that. She said she thinks it’s because of the experiments Gabriel was doing.” Gen shook her head but seemed deep in thought.

“I don’t think it’s just that. The Agreste family and by extension the house seem to carry ill fortune with them. By adding first a damaged Miraculous and then the Black Cat which carries the essence of bad luck… I think those experiments are the least of our worries.”


	79. Even More Complications

“So you’re saying the house is cursed and we should leave.” Red Robin’s voice came from the door to Gabriel’s office. As much as he hated to admit it, Damian agreed with his brother. Marinette had been adamant that they stay in the mansion. She had some good reasons. First there was Mme. Agreste. Second, it was the easiest place to keep prisoners without being disturbed. Even with Bruce having rented out the entire floor under Chloe’s penthouse at the Grand Paris, there was still a chance that the staff could stumble across Adrien if they moved him there. Other than Kagami and the bodyguard no one had come near the mansion.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. There’s an imbalance here that needs to be fixed yes but we can fix it. Leaving presents just as many problems as staying at this point.” Gen gave Marinette a worried glance and Damian pulled her tighter to his chest. “It might be a good idea for her to rest elsewhere for now though. She’s already physically weakened and having to fight off the corruption here isn’t making things any better. Her own room would be best. It has her energy and I have a feeling is where she feels safest.”

Damian nodded though he wondered if that would still hold true after Adrien had broken in as Chat. The next question was how he was supposed to get her there. Especially if Nixx was going to stay attached to her chest. Going through the front door and greeting her parents would be a no go but what would happen if they found them in her room later and asked questions about how and when they got there. Gen noticed his hesitance and gave him a reassuring smile before placing two fingers on Nixx. The Kwami seemed to melt into Marinette.

“What did you do?” If Nixx healed Marinette there would be hell to pay. There may not be a good possibility of her injuries still being present when all the legal red tape had been gone through but she absolutely couldn’t afford to heal too fast. 

“You have nothing to worry about I promise. Nixx will only help her regain the energy she expended. We both know the cost she would pay if we did more. Nixx simply merged with Marinette, the same way they normally would with me. It’s harmless but will offer protection and allow you to travel without the possibility that they’re seen.”

“What about you? If something happens while Nixx is with us how will you deal with it?” Gen looked amused at the prospect and Damian just scowled at her.

“Worst case scenario I die again so I’m not too concerned. I can take care of myself with or without Nixx’s help. Right now Marinette needs Nixx with her and I need to stay here and figure out how to cleanse this house and its occupants. Besides, I have your family and Red Wasp here to deal with any threats that may be too much for me to handle alone. I’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure…” Gen just nodded at him but Damian still didn’t feel right about just taking her Kwami. He’d seen how dependant Marinette was on Tikki and didn’t want to leave Gen without the only support she’d had for the majority of her life. The woman seemed to know what he was thinking if her eye roll was any indication. He let out a frustrated sigh. “Alright. I just need to change first.” Gen actually hummed in annoyance.

“Fine, but try to keep some sort of physical contact with her while you do.” Damian felt like he’d just entered an alternate universe.

“You want me to take her with me while I change?” Obviously she did but he needed confirmation because there was no way she said what he thought she did. Gen just gave him an exasperated look.

“Well you can’t very well keep physical contact with a wall between you can you? It’s not like you’re going to be naked or anything. Suck it up.” Damian glared at her but he could feel heat rising in his face. He couldn’t even blame it on Marinette’s emotions at the moment because her song was completely peaceful for once. Chloe looked like it was taking all her self control not to burst out laughing, Red Robin was smiling at him like an idiot, and Kagami just raised an eyebrow at him for some reason.

“Fine.” He entered their room and shut the door harder than necessary. If anyone asked he’d say it’s because his hands were full so he didn’t realize how hard he shoved it with his hip. Tikki and Plagg floated in front of him. Tikki look sympathetic, Plagg looked confused. “How exactly am I supposed to change and keep contact?” He addressed the question to Tikki and she paused in thought.

“We’ll grab your regular clothes. Maybe you could set her on the couch and sit against her while you change your shirt?” Well he supposed that would work, but he hesitated.

“What about the pants?” He couldn’t believe he was in this position. It was bad enough Gen insisted on this but it honestly just felt weird with Marinette being unconscious. He didn’t know why he thought her being awake would make him feel better about all this but he was certain it would. Tikki and Plagg just frowned at him.

“I suppose that would be rather difficult one handed. Maybe move her to the edge of the couch and sit on the floor? That way your head or shoulders could be in contact with her.”

“I guess that might work.” He knew he sounded sullen but honestly this felt like a practical joke his brothers would play on him. Gen had been alone with them long enough for them to all plan something like this. “Is all this really necessary?” Tikki gave him an encouraging smile while Plagg just cackled as they zoomed around to find Damian’s clothes.

“Gen is right about you grounding each other. She wouldn’t have suggested this if she didn’t think it was necessary. Besides you two are almost always hugging or holding hands anyway. It just seems strange because now you’re thinking about it and actively trying not to break contact.” 

Damian wanted to refute that statement but as he thought over the days since they’d found each other he realized they were right. Marinette usually initiated the contact but he didn’t break it off. At first it had been because he could tell it comforted her to have physical contact but now he was actually starting to enjoy it as well. It was strange the difference a soulmate could make. It was rather unsettling.

“Alright let’s get this over with so I can take Marinette home where she can get some real rest for once.”

When Damian arrived at the bakery Tom and Sabine were waiting for him. He’d called ahead to say that Marinette was exhausted and he wanted to get her away from his brothers because he felt they were overstimulating her. Not the greatest excuse but they didn’t find fault with it. Luckily Marinette didn’t look pale or sick, she was just sleeping peacefully in his arms. Her parents offered him food but he told them he’d rather just sleep as well. It had been a long couple of days.

Sabine led him to Marinette’s room so she could get the door for him but thankfully didn’t stay. He sat down on the chaise, their position reminding him of the first night he’d spent in Paris. Tikki and Plagg immediately darted to where he assumed the Miracle Box was. He was proven right when they returned with Wayzz not long after.

“I can feel what Gen was talking about. It’s like she expended all the energy she had and now has to wait for more to build up. It’s not something I remember seeing before.” That coming from a miniature god didn’t help his nerves at all. Unknowns were bad. Unknowns involving his soulmate were worse.

“Is there a way to stop it from happening again?” He heard the demand in his tone but the Kwami all looked at him with sympathy.

“I’m not sure. I think that might be part of why Gen insisted on physical contact.” Tikki seemed to be considering her answer carefully. “If you act as a grounding force you may also act as a buffer to keep her from expending too much energy at once. However, it may also allow her to pull energy from you as well as herself and that could be problematic.” Yeah, the last thing they needed was for both of them to be nearly comatose. Marinette stirred in her sleep and he tightened his hold on her. He was relieved when she calmed immediately and tried to nuzzle deeper into him.

“That’s a worry for another time though. Right now you both need sleep. Nixx will help Marinette and we’ll keep watch to make sure no more unexpected surprises disturb you.” As much as he wanted to stay awake to protect his soulmate Damian knew Plagg was right. Him being sleep deprived wouldn’t do either of them any good.


	80. Hacked

As Damian woke slowly he was instantly aware of the warmth on top of him and it eased a tightness in his chest he’d never noticed before. Normally he would wake alert and tense but for some reason having Marinette there changed that. He took time to take everything in to try and figure out why. It wasn’t just their song. He hadn’t felt this at peace the last two mornings. He concentrated on her weight against him. His protective instincts said she was too light even though his mind knew she might be a little thin but she was still in a healthy range. But in paying attention to that his mind was able to understand what made him so calm. She was lying on her left side, head tucked under his chin, he could feel her steady breathing against his chest and he felt her heartbeat just under his ribcage.

He wasn’t trying to figure out if she was okay or not from her song when he knew he wouldn’t always be able to tell. It wasn’t a reliable gauge of her safety. Now he could be sure. Her breathing wasn’t labored which meant her ribs were less painful. She was completely relaxed against him which meant no pain or nightmares. It also meant she trusted him and that put him even more at ease. In that moment he realized how absolutely screwed he was because he needed the physical contact just as much if not more than she did. He was reflecting on his pathetic state when a voice sounded from across the room.

“I know you’re awake Damian.” He started as his eyes flew open to see Sabine on the desk chair grinning at him. His movement caused Marinette to stir and he held her tighter to make sure she didn’t try to get up. She hadn’t heard Gen say they needed to stay in contact and he didn’t want to risk her trying to move away from him. He just glared at Sabine while she looked entirely too amused.

“What’s going on?” Marinette’s words were slurred from sleep and she seemed to be trying to burrow deeper into his chest. It was possibly the most adorable thing he’d ever encountered. Yeah, he was so, so screwed.

“I have some less than great news.” Sabine’s expression had sobered significantly. Damian tried to guess what could have happened this time but there were just too many possibilities. Instead he tried to use her expression to gauge how severe this new threat was and was worried by what he saw. He could feel the fog clearing in his soulmate’s song as she struggled towards consciousness. She blinked at her mother in confusion but didn’t move anything but her head.

“When did we come home?” Of course that’s what she would focus on.

“I brought you back last night. You were exhausted and I figured it was best to get you away from the craziness for awhile.” She blinked up at him and he heard a thread of understanding in her song. He also heard the moment her mother’s words penetrated and felt her stiffen up against him. 

“What news?” There was dread in her voice and Damian had the feeling she was anticipating the worst because that’s normally what happened.

“Bruce has been on the phone all morning coordinating things and he has his best people working on a solution.” He could tell she was trying to be reassuring but that fact that his father was handling something personally told him exactly how severe the problem was. He just waited for her to continue as his Angel seemed to wilt.

“Something happened to the police report didn’t it?” Her voice was small but it was the hint of resignation that made his temper flare. He caught Sabine’s surprise and realized that she’d guessed correctly. 

“Someone hacked into the police records and the hospital where you were treated. They erased everything pertaining to you.” Damian felt sorry for whoever had committed that particular crime because judging by Sabine’s tone they’d be dying a slow and painful death. Marinette obviously wasn’t awake enough to pick up on her mother’s intent.

“Must have been Max. He’s the only one in the group that’s capable of something like that. Might even have used Markov to access the computers directly rather than trying to breach security from the outside.” She just sounded sad and a bit disappointed. No anger. Damian grew more certain by the day that’d he’d never really understand her.

“I’ll be sure to tell Bruce your theory.” Damian raised his eyebrow at the woman but she just rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m not about to do anything that will jeopardize the investigation. Not that I’d be opposed to any of those brats disappearing without a trace mind you.” That finally seemed to clear Marinette’s head.

“Maman! They’re just kids they don’t even really understand what they’re doing.” Damian shared an exasperated look with Sabine. Seeing the best in people wasn’t necessarily a bad thing but he was starting to think his soulmate was just being willfully blind.

“You’re just a kid and you understand. So does Damian. Why are those miscreants any different? Don’t answer just think about it.” Marinette had opened her mouth but snapped it shut again at her mother’s words. “Officer Girard is livid about what happened but luckily the hard copies of your medical report, x-rays, and her notes on the case are still fine. If we’re lucky this will actually work in our favor and just be one more nail in the coffin.” Marinette just frowned at her mother but Damian couldn’t figure out why.

“There’s something you’re not saying.” Sabine let out a tired sigh and hesitated. What could be worse than hacking police records?

“Someone tried to break into M. Castex’s office as well. Security didn’t find anyone but if your theory about Max and Markov is correct that would explain a lot. His system stayed intact and your journals are safe. Some of the police force is apparently trying to use the loss of data as a reason to just drop the case altogether as well but that’s not going to happen.” 


	81. Trying to Relax

Sabine had gone back down stairs and Marinette showed no signs of wanting to move. Damian used the time to explain to her what Gen had said. She gave a thoughtful hum every once in awhile but otherwise remained silent. He was starting to wonder if she was really listening or just responding when he paused. He was getting a little annoyed when she suddenly moved her good hand around his neck and started playing with the hair at his nape.

“You’re too tense.” She mumbled the words but he heard them clearly. She started humming something that sounded like a lullaby. His shock changed to annoyance but that gave way rather quickly as she continued. Despite his best efforts he felt himself starting to relax. “Better.” He rolled his eyes and though she couldn’t see it she giggled, most likely at the spike of annoyance in his song.

“Did you hear anything I said?” His exasperation was clear but he didn’t try to move or even acknowledge the hand still playing with his hair.

“Yes. I trust Gen’s judgement even if it might be inconvenient to stay connected all the time.” He frowned. Inconvenient? He started to withdraw his arms thinking she was uncomfortable but she let out a noise of displeasure which only served to confuse him further. 

“I didn’t mean right now. Just that it could make certain things hard. I shouldn’t question Adrien for instance because it would agitate him to see us holding hands or something. It’ll also make fighting rather difficult if it’s necessary. She didn’t say how long she thought it would be necessary did she?” Damian shook his head.

“No and I was more worried about you being unconscious at the time to think of asking. Maybe Nixx knows.” Marinette’s eyes were still closed but she frowned and wrinkled her nose the way a small child tended to do when thinking very hard.

“Nixx is here?” 

“Yes. Gen had them merge with you. As far as I know they still are unless the left while we were both asleep.” Her frown deepened and he felt her extreme concentration through the bond. Her injured hand moved to her chest right where the Kwami had been. 

“Still there, and I’m not sure if they’re staying until I’m rested enough or they’re waiting until summoned. Gen’s going to need us back at the mansion in order to purify whatever the root problem is though.” She spoke with purpose but still made no attempt to move. The hand in his hair was still moving in soothing patterns as well. He wondered if she was trying to keep him still because she didn’t want to wake up fully or because she really was trying to get him to relax. Maybe both.

“Then shouldn’t we be heading back?” Being around her parents made him a bit on edge and uncomfortable. His family knew everything and they could explain the need for physical contact. Her parents were just as likely to see a boy groping their daughter as anything else and he didn’t know how he could correct them without giving away all their secrets. She just let out a murmur of agreement while once again attempting to burrow into his chest. He rolled his eyes at her antics but otherwise decided to humor her. She was the one that was injured and had managed to expend all her energy. It could be that she really was still too drained to move. He decided to ignore the fact that he didn’t want to move yet either. He felt his phone buzz on the bed and mentally groaned. There was no way that was good news. Not with his luck.

He carefully reached for phone while trying not to disturb Marinette’s position. As he read the text he tried to keep his song neutral but it didn’t work. Before he realized she’d moved, Marinette had taken his hand to turn the phone so she could read it as well. It was from Barbara. They’d found the virus in the Agreste’s system and it had the same signature and general coding as the hacker that broke into the police and hospital systems. Marinette sighed as she released his hand.

“It had to have been Max and Markov. Nothing else makes sense. I just wish I knew if he was doing it on his own or who’s pulling his strings. Obviously Adrien would have asked him for the one in his home, but I can’t imagine Max destroying evidence on his own. Someone else has to be telling him it’s necessary.” Damian thought it was just as likely that the boy realized he was in deep shit and tried to cover his tracks but declined to say so. Marinette wasn’t ready to consider it and he wasn’t about to push the issue.

“Do you know how to prove it was Max? If we can get solid evidence on him he may be willing to say who talked him into everything.” He knew a frontal assault wasn’t something his soulmate wanted but she might like this idea.

“We need to get Markov on our side. He’ll have more information than anything else.” Damian frowned at her.

“You want to try and get a robot to go against is creator. I’m sure he’s not programed to be able to do that.” She frowned in thought but didn’t seem to think his concern well founded.

“Markov has emotions. He’s just as capable of making a rational decision when given all the facts. He’s our best bet to get to the others.”


	82. Cass's Dilemma

Damian had his back to Marinette while she changed. She made sure to keep contact so he decided to text Barbara about Markov to see if she and Drake could find a way to contact the robot directly. Just after Marinette had finished his phone started going off with a video chat request from Barbara. He debated a moment before answering, wondering if it was just the girls trying to hijack his Angel, but decided it might be important.

“What?” His voice was curt and his soulmate sent him a withering look. He just shrugged at her.

“Have you heard from Cass?” Definitely not the subject or question he was expecting.

“No. Why should I have?” Babs shared a look with someone offscreen before moving the phone back so it showed her, Steph, and Alfred. Alfred was the one who spoke.

“Master Damian, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Marinette smiled and waved at them but Damian just scowled at the screen. “Miss. Cain is indisposed and we were hoping, given your similar backgrounds she may have reached out to you.” Oh, that couldn’t be good.

“What the hell happened?” Why could no one just say things outright? He was tired of trying to figure out what people meant because they felt they had to use euphemisms or just got pleasure out of making you guess things. Babs and Alfred shared a look but it was Steph who spoke.

“Last night Cass grabbed her head like it hurt and then blacked out. We have no idea what happened but when she woke she went completely mute. She won’t communicate with any of us and we don’t know why. You were our last hope.” Damian frowned in concern. That type of regression was a really bad sign. 

“What time did it happen?” Alfred looked through the computer logs before giving a time. He could almost see Marinette doing the math in her head before she came to a conclusion that surprised and worried her. She gave him a wary look before turning back to the phone.

“Does Cass have a soulmate by chance?” The three looked shocked by the question. They all shook their heads before Alfred caught sight of Damian. Marinette saw the look and turned to him.

“Her business is her business.” His family groaned at him through the phone, except Alfred who seemed to be studying him. He hadn’t known about either of them having a soulmate and given Alfred’s tendency to know everything he had to be wondering how they kept it from him. Damian only knew about Cass because he saw the way she reacted to certain people and situations. It was far too familiar for him not to see it.

“We’ll try reaching out to her. I think I know what happened.” Marinette’s voice was strong and sure but he heard worry in her song and she kept side eyeing him. He had no idea why though. “Let us know if you have any luck contacting Markov before we get back to the mansion. I really think he’ll be the key to a lot of this.” Babs assured them that she would and they all thanked Marinette before hanging up. 

“What do you think happened?” Marinette bit her lip before looking at him.

“I’m not sure it’s my secret to tell. I think we should try to get in contact with Cass first.” Damian was annoyed but he could at least respect her decision. Whatever it was she’d figured out had something to do with Cass and soulmates but not them. At least he hoped not. He was tired of her keeping things from him. “I do trust you you know. But this isn’t about me or us.” Of course she knew what he was thinking. That may be what annoyed him most. She could read him so easily yet he still didn’t really understand her at all.

He sighed before pulling up Cass’s contact information. The question was how should he try to contact her. A text was too easy to ignore. If she wasn’t talking a normal phone call wouldn’t work. He could send a video chat with a 911 attached. It would likely be the most effective way to get her on the line. He still wasn’t sure it would work as he hit the send button and was honestly a little shocked when she picked up.

“You look like shit.” Marinette made a disapproving noise next to him and Cass just flipped him off but he wasn’t about to apologize for telling the truth. Her eyes were bloodshot and had bags under them to rival Tim’s. Her hair was sticking up in all directions making her look both like she just woke up and hadn’t gotten any sleep in days. She was in her lounging clothes which were two sizes too big and full of holes. 

“You look fine Cass, Damian just has no understanding of relaxing.” Cass tried to smile at his soulmate but it came out as more of a grimace than anything else. She was trying not to worry them but it was way too late for that. “They told us what happened. I… I think it might be my fault and I’m sorry.” 

Cass was looking at Marinette like she’d gone insane but Damian could feel remorse and contrition in her song. She really thought that whatever had happened to Cass in Gotham was somehow her fault. He really wished she’d stop blaming herself for everything. Cass just made a ‘go on’ gesture. Marinette glanced at him and Cass nodded at her. Great now they could communicate without words. 

“It was an accident. I don’t even know exactly what I did but I wanted to help my friends and it just happened. I know it was probably overwhelming and I’m sorry. If I had known beforehand I would have tried to warn you.” Damian was lost and honestly Cass looked like she was too for a moment before realization dawned. 

“Wait, you mean they’re both there with you?” Damian blinked at his sister. Normally if she went mute it wasn’t something anyone broke through in less than a week. Marinette did it in five minutes. He didn’t even know why he was surprised anymore. Granted he still had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

“Yes. Well not right here, but here in Paris.” She hesitated before speaking in a soothing tone. “I’m sure if you just explained everything it’ll all work out.” She sounded hopeful but Cass just shook her head with a sad and guilty expression.

“There’s no explanation good enough and I don’t really deserve forgiveness. They’ve got each other so they don’t need me.”

“That’s really not how that works, and don’t you think they deserve an explanation? I don’t pretend to know or understand your situation but I’m sure you thought what you were doing was for the best. You may have been misguided but your heart was in the right place.” Cass shook her head and looked at Damian. He knew that look, knew she felt like he was the only one who would understand. That could only mean one thing.

“The way I grew up… having a soulmate wasn’t an option.” She was talking to Marinette but knew he’d understand what she truly meant. “Now, I’m just too screwed up to believe that it would be good for them if I was in their life. The life we live… it’s not something you should just pull others into. It’s dangerous and they just become a target, a weakness. It’s not something we can afford.” Marinette started laughing and Damian shared a look with Cass. When she looked just as confused he just shrugged. Marinette slowly pulled herself under control.

“Sorry, sorry. It’s just if you knew them you wouldn’t consider them a weakness. Not to mention if you said that to their faces you’d most likely be bleeding.”


	83. Cass's Decision

Damian had finally figured out what they were talking about. He decided to blame it on stress that he hadn’t caught on sooner. He also understood what Marinette found so funny. When Cass gave her a skeptical look for the bleeding comment he decided to give his opinion.

“She’s right you know. One of them would be bad enough but you don’t stand a chance against both.” He was thinking about his sparring with Chloe and the fact that Kagami was an Olympic class fencer who’d most likely been training since birth. Cass didn’t stand a chance. 

“You know who they are?” She sounded hesitant. At least that’s what he thought but he’d never heard that tone from her before so he couldn’t be certain. He nodded and he watched her digest that information before she met his gaze. “Do you regret it?”

He blinked at the question. Most people wouldn’t understand what she was talking about but he knew exactly what she meant. Did he regret looking for and finding Marinette. The answer was no. The only thing he regretted was waiting as long as he had. The problem was that she wouldn’t believe him unless he explained why. She’d think their situations were too different. He looked at his soulmate trying to find the words to explain how much his world had changed in just a few days. She just gave him an encouraging smile.

“I don’t regret it. Not now, not ever.” Damian looked back at Cass hoping that his eyes could convey the things he knew his words would not. “If I had known what completing the bond would do, how it would feel… I never would have waited this long. I probably would have abandoned the league the second I knew enough to protect her. I felt… wrong my whole life. Never really a part of the world. I always thought it was the way I was born or raised.” He saw a flash of recognition in her eyes and knew he’d finally found the right way of putting it. “That feeling went away completely the moment Marinette touched me for the first time. It was like… like coming home for the first time. Like finally understanding what home actually is.”

He was concentrating so hard on making sense that it took him a moment to realize she had tears running down her face. Cass didn’t cry. It was a sign of weakness they couldn’t be allowed. Well looks like he screwed that up. At least that’s what he thought until he started paying attention to Marinette’s song.

“We can talk to them if you want. Explain some of the situation so that when you’re ready they have some understanding of your life and mindset.” Marinette’s voice was soft and she hesitated at the next part. “Or I could bring you here so you can do it yourself.” Cass’s expression went completely blank and Damian was starting to wonder if her brain had melted. Her mouth opened and shut a few times but nothing came out. 

“You don’t have to decide right now, but I can tell you from personal experience, the longer you put it off the more you’ll kick yourself for it later. Not to mention it gives them both more time to get pissed off and that’s really not a good idea.” His tone at the end was dry and Marinette actually punched him in the arm for the words. He frowned down at her. “What? It’s true. Chloe already has Jason about wetting himself every time she looks at him and that’s not something I ever thought I’d see happen.” Cass let out a strangled noise before she burst into laughter. She actually dropped her phone but they could still hear her.

“Can’t breathe!” Damian raised an eyebrow at Marinette but she just grinned at him. They waited for Cass to get ahold of herself but it took awhile. There were a couple times where she seemed to have it together only to start giggling madly before deteriorating back into hysterics. Her sides were going to be killing her tomorrow. By the time she picked up the phone again she was panting. “Thanks I needed that image.”

“Do you have any idea what you want to do?” He felt Marinette’s annoyance, and her glare, as soon as the words left his mouth. Cass sobered up immediately and kept looking between the two of them before landing on Marinette.

“Do you really think they’ll even want to meet me after everything?” Her voice was uncertain but Damian heard a twinge of hope in it as well. Marinette gave her a sympathetic smile.

“Yes. It would definitely be best to let us at least warn them first though. Given the way you’ve been avoiding her, Chloe might panic. That or try to take your head off, I’m really not sure which.” Damian voted for the latter but he could attest to the fact that people tended to lose all shred of thought when dealing with their soulmate. Normal behavior flew out the window.

“I… maybe I could…” Cass was getting frustrated with herself he could see it. Indecision wasn’t normally an issue for her. She looked at Damian. “If you could try to explain a little and then see how they want to proceed. I don’t want to force myself on them. I’ve been dictating everything to this point so I think the final decision should be theirs.” Her voice cracked at the end and Damian knew exactly how hard it was for her to give up control like that. Especially on a matter of such importance.

“Of course. We’ll talk to them. Marinette can translate for me.” His soulmate rolled her eyes but Cass nodded thoughtfully. Normal people didn’t understand they way they thought. Even being in his head only gave his Angel a glimpse of it. He would need her to make the others understand. He opened his mouth but was cut off by a call from Babs. “Gordon needs to talk to us. We’ll let you know how it goes.” She just nodded as she hung up and Damian switched over to the other line.

“We might have a problem.” Damian sighed in exasperation. When wasn’t there a problem?

“You haven’t been able to make contact with Markov?” Marinette’s voice was anxious and he involuntarily pulled her into his side and started rubbing her back. He only noticed he’d done it because of Barbara’s shocked look. She shook her head to clear it before answering.

“Oh, we made contact alright. There’s just one catch.”

“What catch?” Damian’s resigned tone was in direct opposition to his soulmate’s worried song. It didn’t stop them both from jumping and crashing to the floor when a voice sounded behind them.

“I want to speak to Marinette directly.” 


	84. Markov

Damian and Marinette both landed on the floor but he was up again in a second ready to do battle. His confusion on seeing a little floating robot made him pause but he still had a hand on his knife. His soulmate groaned from her position on the floor and he realized she’d landed on her back where most of her bruising was.

“Was it really necessary to sneak up on us like that Markov?” She winced as she tried to sit up and Damian quickly reached down to help support her weight.

“Max told me people are more likely to tell the truth if they don’t know you’re there.” The little robot flew up to Marinette’s face and only the fact that he was holding her up prevented Damian from smacking the thing away from her. “You are injured. What happened?” He was about to yell at the robot but Marinette squeezed his arm before smiling at it.

“You were there Markov, don’t you remember?” Her voice was gentle and Damian could feel real concern for the robot. For its part, Markov seemed to be searching its memory banks.

“No I don’t. Max downloads and run diagnostics every Tuesday so he may have deemed it unnecessary to remain.” It sounded unconcerned and Damian couldn’t figure out why that annoyed him so much.

“This happened Wednesday morning. You recorded what happened.” It was like she was trying to soften what actually happened and Damian realized she was treating it just like she would a person. When she said the robot had emotions he’d just assumed it was a good AI but she seemed to think it actually did have feelings.

“The file must have been too large then.” The little robot was frowning as though not believing their own words.

“I thought Max expanded your memory so you can record twenty-four seven without needing a download for two weeks. And didn’t he set up an emergency cloud server just in case?” She wasn’t telling him what happened she was just leading him to figure it out on her own. Damian wondered how much of that was because it was Markov and how much was because she was used to people not believing her when she flat out told the truth. “Do you want to see part of the video? It’s up on the internet where anyone can see it.”

“Why would Max let a video of you getting hurt get on the internet? It wasn’t like those stunts Kim and Alix pull was it?” Marinette just shook her head and grabbed Damian’s phone from where it had landed next to her so she could show it the video. As Markov watched Damian saw the face on its monitor go from shock to horror.

“I don’t understand. Why would they do that to you? I thought everyone liked you.” Marinette blinked and cocked her head to the side in confusion.

“No, they’ve all been upset with me because they think I’m bullying Lila. She started telling them I was over a year ago.” Now the robot just looked confused.

“I have no information stored to that effect. Are you sure?” Marinette just nodded at it and neither spoke for a minute.

“You have access to Max’s system don’t you? You could just look it all up if he keeps backups of everything. That way you know what’s going on and you don’t have to take my word for it.” Markov looked skeptical.

“I can’t give you any information from his system. That would be a breach of trust.” The smile on Marinette’s face was fond and a bit wistful.

“I’m not asking you to tell me anything. It’s enough to me that you know.” The robot gave an appreciative whirring noise before the monitor that acted as their face went blank. After a minute Damian raised an eyebrow at Marinette. “I’m hoping that everything Max deleted about the situation is on that server somewhere. I knew Max was purging certain things from Markov’s memory but I didn’t know it was this bad. I have a feeling they argued about it and that’s why Max decided to get rid of anything that Markov had a different opinion than him. I hope so anyway.” She seemed to be content to wait on the floor where she was, going so far as to lean back against Damian forcing him to sit likewise. It was close to fifteen minutes before Markov restarted his monitor. When he did he flew straight at Marinette, cuddling into her much like the Kwami did.

“I’m so sorry! I tried to talk to Max. I tried to get him to do a search on Lila but he just kept spouting irrational statistics at me. Anytime I pointed out inconsistencies in her story he’d wipe my memory of the conversation. I told him that video should go to the police. I told him you had to have been hurt but he wouldn’t listen. There was nothing I could do.” The poor thing sounded heartbroken and Damian was starting to believe in Marinette’s assertion of it having feelings.

“It’s not your fault Markov. You couldn’t have done anything. But if you want you can help now.”

“How? Max programmed a failsafe so that I can’t work against his wishes, whether I agree with them or not.” Marinette hummed in thought.

“The people I had contact you might be able to help. They might be able to deactivated it.” The robot seemed to try and speak but all that came out was static. Marinette smiled sadly at it.

“It’s okay I know you can’t answer. I’ll ask them to do it and if you want it turned back on after you’ll be able to do that yourself.” She held Markov up so it was looking at her face. “I’m going to turn you off for now if that’s alright?” The robot just nodded sadly and Marinette looked just as upset as she held down his power button. Once it was offline she turned to Damian. “We need to get him to Tim so he and Barbara can find that failsafe. If Markov is allowed to act without Max’s interference we’ll get access to all the proof Officer Girard could ever ask for.” 


	85. Marinette's Calm

They returned to the mansion after eating with her parents. Tom and Sabine spent most of the meal making comments that kept his soulmate embarrassed and giving pointed glances at whatever body part happened in contact with the other person. Damian was starting to question Marinette’s decision to not tell them about what was going on, but in the end she knew them better than he did and he respected her judgement. 

Gen met them as soon as they entered and just studied Marinette for a few minutes before holding out a hand palm up. Nixx slowly detached from Marinette and hovered in front of her a moment before merging with Gen.

“Feeling better?” Gen’s concern was obvious. She actually looked like she was ready to catch Marinette if she fainted again.

“Much better thank you. Do you know how long we’ll have to stay attached?” Damian rolled his eyes at her wording as Marinette raised their joined hands. Gen’s entire face scrunched up in what looked like annoyance.

“I’d say once we cleanse the house you would be fine except you keep using powers you shouldn’t have and draining yourself. Honestly I’m hoping having him ground you will keep you from doing something like that again. You don’t even know you’re doing something until it’s over and that’s going to be hard to control or train yourself to avoid.” Her tone was agitated and she was fidgeting as though she needed to do something to fix this. Unfortunately she didn’t know what that was and it worried Damian. If this was something she hadn’t dealt with before they weren’t likely to find help anywhere else.

“Do you know how to cleanse the house?” His soulmate’s question caused Gen to frown.

“Yes and no. I’ll need Plagg and Tikki to help Nixx and me. Given your current condition I don’t want you anywhere near while we’re working. I’d rather you go back to your house or the hotel to be honest.” Marinette hesitated and he could hear worry in her song.

“I don’t like the idea of being separated from Tikki, not while things are so volatile.” Gen nodded in understanding.

“I get that but I really do think it’s necessary if we want to get rid of the taint here. I’ll send Tikki and Plagg to you if there’s any hint of trouble and honestly, worst case scenario, you could just renounce them and resommon them at your location. Besides you’ll have Duusu and Damian also has Trixx. You could also take the Chloe and Kagami with you as well for backup.” Damian could feel Marinette coming around but he could tell she was still resistant to the idea of leaving her Kwami behind. Just thinking about it made her song darker, more foreboding.

“Tikki is your calm.” The words were out of his mouth before the thought fully formed and both girls looked at him. Marinette in shock and Gen in consideration. He focused on his soulmate. “She keeps you grounded and out of your head. She’s the one that tells you your worth when you doubt it. Not having her with you is like losing your self esteem.” She just gaped at him.

“He’s right Marinette. You’ve always relied on me too much in that way. You use me as a crutch so you can talk down about yourself knowing I’ll talk you back up.” Tikki looked sad, but compassionate as well. “But this will only be for a short time and besides, you’ve got Damian to keep you propped up now. Even Chloe if you take her along as well.” Marinette gave the Kwami a fond smile.

“I know… it’s just hard. We haven’t really been apart at all in so long. It feels wrong if you aren’t with me.” Gen apparently took that as assent.

“Why don’t you do what you need to do here and send Tikki and Plagg to me when you leave. I’ll get everything ready in the meantime.” She only waited for Marinette’s nod before leaving the room.

“It’s going to be okay Mari. Gen’s right about you being able to renounce and summon us so there’s nothing to worry about I promise.” Tikki smiled encouragingly at his soulmate and Damian could hear her song get a little stronger. She took several deep breaths and straightened her shoulders.

“Right. We need to get Markov to Tim.” She turned to look at him uncertainty. “Then maybe we can take Chloe and Kagami back to the hotel and try to sort out the soulmate issue.” Damian nodded in thought.

“I suppose it’s best to get it over with. Neither one of them is likely to get more receptive as time goes on so the sooner the better.” She took another deep breath.

“Okay then.” She started forward pulling him along with her until they made it to Gabriel’s office. They found Red Robin chugging caffeine like his life depended on it while he talked to Oracle. Batman and Catwoman were eyeing him from across the room. Gen may have decided he was no longer a threat but they weren’t taking any chances. Marinette walked up to him and pulled Markov out of her purse but he waved her off when she opened her mouth to explain.

“You never actually ended that video chat with Oracle so we’re up to speed.” She looked grateful not to have to go through it.

“Just make sure you don’t power him back on before you disable the failsafe. Also, please call me to be here as well. I’d rather he not wake up only surrounded by strangers.” Damian was starting to think her compassion had no limits. Tim looked at her like she’d grown a second head.

“You do realize it’s just a robot right? No matter how good the programming he doesn’t actually feel anything.” She glared at Red Robin and Damian could feel her anger building.

“He feels just like we do. If he didn’t Hawkmoth wouldn’t have been able to Akumatize him. You can think what you want but don’t tell me what is and is not. And never say something like that in front of Markov. He’s more human than a lot of people I’ve met.” Damian just watched in amusement as she lit into his brother who simply gaped at her.

“Come on, let’s go find Chloe and Kagami.” As much as he enjoyed watching his soulmate steamroll his family they had other things to worry about right now. She blinked at him, as if she forgot what they were doing, before nodding and once again leading him out of the room. 

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was small again and try as he might Damian couldn’t figure out what she was apologizing for.

“Sorry for what?” He felt frustration in her song.

“I shouldn’t have been so curt with Tim, and I should be able to focus better. You shouldn’t have to remind me of things.” Damian had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Tikki was still with her and yet she was already blaming herself again. He tugged her to a stop and she looked at him confused.

“First, no matter what you do or say to my brothers, they deserve it. Second, we help each other. When one of us isn’t thinking clearly we have the other to pick up the slack. You’re not alone anymore Angel, you don’t have to do everything by yourself.” He hated having to reiterate that all the time. Hated that she’d been left to herself for so long. Hated that he’d left her alone. He had a feeling it would take a long time and a lot of reassurance for it to really sink in for her. She’d been abandoned so many times that as much as it was in her nature to help others she never expected it to be reciprocated. She gave of herself expecting not only to get nothing in return, but to have it thrown back at her in someway. The fact that she thought it was okay was heartbreaking but it made her sacrifices so much greater.

“I know.” She didn’t but she would. He’d make sure of that.


	86. Chloe's Decision

Awkward. That was the only way to describe the situation Damian found himself in. They were currently back at the hotel with Chloe and Kagami and they all seemed to be waiting for him to start the conversation. He honestly wasn’t sure why but having them all stare at him was more than a little unnerving. His soulmate finally broke the silence and he almost sighed in relief.

“We wanted to talk to you about your other soulmate.” Chloe flinched and Kagami’s face hardened.

“We have each other we don’t need them.” Rationally Damian knew she was trying to protect Chloe. She had no idea of the real situation, but having been through this himself and knowing what Cass was thinking and feeling he couldn’t help but get defensive. Marinette laid a hand on his arm to try to calm him as she spoke.

“That may be true, but did it ever occur to you that they need you?” Chloe scoffed but Kagami just frowned in confusion. Obviously the thought hadn’t occurred to her. 

“If that were true why run from Chloe all the time? It’s not like they couldn’t find her, they actively avoided her.” Marinette turned to look at Damian. He swore he could almost hear the words ‘that’s your cue’ in his head.

“There could be any number of reasons. Fear, timing, feeling like you’re unworthy of having a soulmate. Though in this case it was to protect her.” They both just frowned at him for a minute before comprehension dawned.

“You know who it is.” Chloe’s words were barely audible. She sounded scared and uncertain as if she was hoping he’d deny it. He sighed and nodded.

“When Marinette did… whatever it is she did, it affected all three of you and she had a rather strong reaction.” Chloe and Kagami shared a look and he knew they’d felt her panic. He was sure that they didn’t know how deep it went though. Cass was the best of all of them at controlling her emotions. He’d spent a lot of his childhood trying to keep himself calm in order not to worry his soulmate and he was certain Cass was the same way. A worried soulmate might start looking for you, just like he had with Marinette.

“What makes you so sure she was doing it to protect Chloe?” The fencer sounded skeptical but not overly so. She hadn’t felt the bond long enough to have it make her irrational yet. Chloe seemed to be listening to what was in her head more than him.

“Because she and I come from similar backgrounds and that’s why I never went looking for Marinette until now. I believed she was better off without me. That being with me would only put her in danger. I regret now that it took me so long to find her but at the time I was certain I was doing the right thing. That she was better off without me in her life.” Marinette curled into his side, trying to soothe him with her touch and song. 

“Then she is a vigilante like you?” Kagami was straight to the point, just getting the facts. The fencer was honestly starting to grow on him.

“Yes but I was talking more of our earlier years than our current situation.” He hesitated, not certain if he should continue but he also knew that if he didn’t make them understand he could be ruining Cass’s chance at happiness. He took a deep breath while his Angel gave his hand a comforting squeeze. “We were both originally raised by and trained to be assassins.” He saw Kagami’s hand move to her side where her fencing foil would be and saw the flash of fear in Chloe’s eyes. While it wasn’t unexpected it did cause a flash of anger and sadness in him. “In my case if I had found my soulmate while still with my mother, she would have either killed Marinette or recruited her. Neither option was acceptable. Your soulmate’s situation was a bit different so most likely recruitment wouldn’t have been an option though given the way she was treated it’s likely they didn’t even know she had a soulmate.”

“How is that possible? It’s always evident from an early age unless there’s a gap.” Damian hesitated at Chloe’s words. Cass had asked him to explain but certain things really ought to come from her.

“There’s a couple years difference but nothing substantial. If you really want to know, to understand her, you’ll have to ask her yourself. It’s not my story to share.” Chloe looked like she was about to explode.

“And how are we supposed to ask her if she keeps running away?” She practically yelled the words and Damian knew her anger was justified.

“She won’t run anymore. She asked me to explain this to you and said to tell you that the final decision is yours. She would understand if you want nothing to do with her and either way, she’s leaving the decision up to the two of you because she doesn’t want to back you into a corner either way. She’s done that enough already.” Kagami nodded thoughtfully but poor Chloe just looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. He felt sympathy flood Marinette’s song.

“Chloe.” The other girl looked at her but Damian wasn’t sure she actually saw anything. “You don’t have to make a decision right now. It’s okay to process everything and maybe you two should talk it over as well. This is a big, possibly life changing decision, you don’t need to rush it.” His soulmate was trying to calm the girl down but her words seemed to have the opposite effect. Chloe’s face hardened and he saw rage building in her eyes.

“After all this time she wants to just put the responsibility off on me? How is that fair? I don’t even know if she wants to meet us, but I’m supposed to make a decision. Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!” She got up and started pacing muttering under her breath. Damian occasionally caught threats of torture and various cursing but nothing coherent. Though by the sound of it Cass was in for some pretty heinous payback if Chloe did decide to meet her.

“She does want to meet you Chloe. She feels terrible for putting you through this and wanted to let you have control over the situation for once. She’s trying to do the right thing even though she’s not sure what that is.” Marinette’s words didn’t seem to penetrate at first but once they did Chloe whirled on her with a frantic look. 

“Bring her here. Now.”


	87. The Compromise

“I’m sorry what?” Marinette’s shock was clear in her song but her voice and face didn’t show anything. Kagami was frowning at Chloe and opened her mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it.

“Bring her here. You have Kaalki, you can do it. According to you she wants to let me do this on my terms and I want her here now.” Damian shared a look with his soulmate and saw her hesitation.

“Chloe, the resonance gets more intense the closer your soulmate gets, I’m not sure how it will affect all of you to have her go from nearly six thousand miles away to within ten feet. At least let me ask Gen if it’s safe first. If you want to talk or yell at her right this minute we can do a video call.” Damian watched as Chloe fidgeted in agitation. She wanted to argue, wanted to just lay into someone. While she’d prefer it to be Cass he was thinking she’d take anyone at this moment.

“Perhaps she’s right.” Kagami’s voice cut through the tension but caused Chloe to turn her glare on the girl. Kagami remained impassive, at least to outside observers. “I know you felt the shock when we could suddenly hear each other’s song. Who knows how much worse this could be? It’s not worth the risk to your health and safety just because you want to vent your frustrations.”

The two girls were staring each other down seemingly forgetting he and Marinette were even in the room. He took the opportunity to text the situation to Cass. She responded immediately saying she would risk it if it wouldn’t harm the others, or she could use one of the private jets I get there in nine hours. He showed his phone to Marinette and she cleared her throat, breaking the stare down happening a few feet away.

“We can do a video call, or she’ll fly here, or both. I won’t risk any of you having an aneurysm by bringing her here with teleportation when I don’t even know if the effects of what I did have worn off yet. Please Chloe, I don’t want to lose you because I did something stupid.” Damian could see tears in her eyes as she tried to reason with the girl and that seemed to be what finally got through to her.

“Oh Mari, I’m sorry! I know you want what’s best for us. I just…” She blew out an agitated breath. “I’m just scared she’ll change her mind if we wait.” Her voice cracked and the tears she must have been holding back finally surfaced. Damian shared a look with Kagami, neither really knowing how to react but Marinette was already up and pulling Chloe into a hug as she started sobbing.

“It’s going to be okay, I promise.” Marinette rubbed soothing circles into Chloe’s back and her voice was full of assurance. “I won’t let her run, and if she tries I’ll sick Damian on her.” Chloe let out a burst of laughter and clung to his soulmate. He noticed she made sure not to squeeze or even grip her hard and she went up another degree in his esteem. Even as upset as she was she retained concern for Marinette’s injuries.

“The video call could be a good start. At least we can all talk and perhaps make more solid plans.” Kagami still looked worried but also relieved. Damian caught the grateful smile she shot at Marinette.

“Okay. Just let me freshen up first. Under no circumstance I’m I letting this be my first impression.” Damian frowned at her in confusion. She looked fine. Besides, if he knew Cass she wouldn’t be able to make eye contact for at least ten minutes because of her guilt. Marinette just pulled away and gave her an encouraging smile. 

“Do you want us to stay? I don’t know if it would make it better or worse but I’ll be here for you and Damian can help keep Cass calm if you want. But if you’d rather we leave and have this just between the three of you we’ll go to a different room.” Chloe hesitated and Kagami ended up answering. 

“We’d appreciate it if you stayed. Perhaps the first in person meeting would be a better time for privacy.” Chloe just looked relieved and nodded before practically running to the bathroom. Marinette sat back down and Kagami studied them both. “You’re sure this is a good idea? I’m new to this soulmate business and trying to understand emotions through music is not simple. But I don’t know if Chloe can handle it if this girl decides to disappear again.”

If not for the fact that he dealt with stoic personalities on a daily basis Damian would have missed the signs of worry. Kagami’s slight facial movements wouldn’t have even registered with most but he saw the slight frown, furrowed brow, and tightening around the eyes. Marinette frowned in thought before replying with certainty.

“She won’t run. That doesn’t mean things are going to go smoothly because that’s going to be impossible at this point. Chloe knows how to hold a grudge and from what Damian’s family has said to me about Cass, she’s not great at expressing herself verbally so it’s going to cause misunderstandings. It won’t be easy, but in the end it will be worth it.” Marinette gave him a blinding smile to go with her last words and he could feel happiness radiating in her song. His breath caught in his throat at the confirmation that she was glad he’d found her, even if he’d been stupid and waited until it was almost too late.

“Cass has a lot of faults but she doesn’t go back on her word. She thought she was doing the right thing, and while that doesn’t justify it, she’s always thought she was protecting Chloe.” He gave a self deprecating smile. “Soulmate bonds make you do incredibly stupid things when you’re certain you know what’s best.” Marinette leaned into his side and was trying to calm him again.

“Why don’t you text Cass and let her know? That way when Chloe gets back there won’t be a delay.” Damian was typing out a message before she’d finished. He could see how on edge Chloe was and he knew Cass could feel it. Marinette was right. Waiting was out of the question.


	88. Cass's Past

When Chloe returned and was situated next to Kagami on the couch, Damin patched his phone into the monitor, which included its own webcam so Cass could see all of them, before linking up to her computer. When the picture came up it showed an empty desk chair and he heard Chloe’s breath hitch. 

“Damn it Cass.” He’d texted her to set this up specifically for this reason. If she left to grab a snack or something he was going to have Marinette send him to Gotham just to beat the crap out of her.

“Is that Damian?” Steph’s voice came from off screen. He had sent a message to her and Babs to tell them Cass was fine, she just needed space. Apparently they had different definitions of space.

“It’s none of your business who it is. Get out of my room!” He heard the door slam and the lock turn. They all watched as Cass rushed into the picture, tripping over her chair in the process, ending with a muffled thump as she hit the floor.

“You’ve mastered how many martial arts and a chair is what fells you?” He heard Marinette giggle beside him while Chloe and Kagami shared a look. Cass’s hand came up to make a rude gesture before she got up.

“Shut it Baby Bird or I’ll tell Mari about the time I had to rescue you and Dick when you got tangled in cable wires on top of-” He cleared his throat loudly to interrupt her as she made it into the chair, glaring at him the whole time.

“This call is so you can meet your soulmates, not trade barbs with me.” Nevermind that he’d started it. His words had an immediate effect. She went from a confident former assassin and current vigilante glaring at her annoying little brother to an uncertain, insecure young woman in a second. She refused to meet anyone’s eyes and he could tell she was picking at her cuticles even though her hands were under the desk. No one spoke and the silence was deafening.

“Cass?” Marinette’s tone was soft but Cass still shrank back and pulled her shoulders up to her ears like she expected to be yelled at. “If you’re comfortable talking about it with all of us here I’m sure Chloe would appreciate an explanation for why you felt the need to stay away.” Cass’s eyes shot up, her gaze bouncing between the four of them before she looked down at her hands once again. She was silent so long even Damian was afraid she wouldn’t answer.

“I…” She stopped and took a few deep breaths. “I didn’t even know what a soulmate bond was until a few years ago. I ran then because I was scared. I thought maybe it was my body telling me I was in danger.” Her words were stilted and Damian could see the effort it took for her to try and make her thoughts comprehensible to others.

“How could you not know what it was?” Kagami sounded both surprised and suspicious and he watched as Cass tried to make herself even smaller. If this kept up she was going to go nonverbal again.

“Cass, do you want me to explain some of your childhood to them so they understand?” She shot him a grateful look and nodded. She’d made a lot of progress in communication but between the stress and how hard it could be for her to find the right words he didn’t think she’d be able to relate things in a way the others understood. Of course he wasn’t sure he could either. He also had no idea where to start.

Marinette squeezed his hand in sympathy, no doubt reacting to the hesitance in his song. Chloe was just looking at him hopefully. She obviously wanted him to be able to say something that would make everything alright. No pressure there. Kagami’s face was impassive but she kept shooting looks at Cass. Every time she did he saw his sister flinch. 

“Cass and I weren’t raised in a normal environment. Mine was slightly better. My mother may have trained me to be a weapon but I did learn normal things such as reading, writing, and most importantly speech. Cass’s father denied her all of that.” He heard Marinette’s sharp intake of breath beside him but he kept his attention on Chloe. She just seemed confused. “The only things she knew were fighting and body language. She couldn’t communicate so there was no way for her to know or find out what the song in her head was. She was created and trained for one purpose and was left completely ignorant of everything else.”

Chloe’s face had turned to something like horror, but Kagami just looked thoughtful. He didn’t look at his soulmate but empathy rolled off her in waves. Her song was fluctuating between anger, sadness, and sympathy. Cass looked like she was about to completely shut down and he had no idea why. Marinette jumped in.

“Cass, Chloe is upset for you not at you.” Cass looked skeptical but there was a bit of hope in her gaze as well. Chloe didn’t seem to be able to respond and Damian had a feeling she was still processing. It wasn’t the easiest thing to wrap your head around.

“And after you learned what it was? Why keep running?” Cass actually met Kagami’s gaze at that question. Damian watched as her cheeks colored.

“It didn’t seem fair that someone was tied to me that way. Even without being a vigilante, my life is dangerous. Damian is the only other one with a soulmate and he never made any effort to meet them, so I thought I was doing the right thing.” Kagami scowled at her.

“So you’re blaming it on him now?” Cass just frowned at her and Damian could tell she was reviewing her words trying to figure out why the girl thought that.

“No.” She spoke slowly, trying to be careful with the wording. “I made the decision on my own. I just didn’t question it as much as I should have because someone else from the same type of background was doing the same thing.” It made sense. Cass had always had to learn from observation rather than having things explained to her. Even if she’d read or been told how people normally deal with a soulmate bond, his actions were an actual example and would have had a lot more weight. 

“So it wasn’t something in my song that made you not want to meet me?” Chloe’s question was soft, almost too soft to be heard, but the pain behind it was clear. It caused Cass to finally look at the girl, shock on her face.

“No!” She yelled the word and winced as Chloe jumped. “It was never you. I just didn’t know what it was and then I didn’t know what to do. I…” She growled in frustration as she lost her words once more. As much as Damian wanted to speak for her he knew she had to figure this out. “When I was small, it was nice. No matter how much I hurt it was there. It made me feel… not alone I guess. That’s why I thought the resonance was a warning. It never happened until I was on my own and by then everything different was something to be wary of. I didn’t know what else to do.” 

The last sentence was almost whispered and Damian wasn’t even sure she meant to say it out loud. He could tell Marinette was about five seconds from using the horse miraculous to go hug his sister and even Kagami seemed to soften a little at her words. Even he hadn’t been aware of how she’d viewed the soulmate bond before coming to live with them. It hadn’t occurred to him that’d she’d actually had no idea what it even was. As shitty as his mother and childhood had been Cass’s was so much worse.


	89. The Meeting

No one seemed to know how to respond and the silence stretched. Damian was aware of Marinette next to him, doing something on her phone but he was focused on Cass. For all he wasn’t in her head he knew Cass better than anyone else in the room. He could see her drawing into herself and was desperately trying to figure out a way to stop it.

“I get if neither of you wants anything to do with me. I’m pretty messed up.” She tried to make it sound like a joke but Damian could hear the strain and knew she expected them to write her off. Kagami didn’t say anything, it was obvious she was waiting for Chloe to decide since she was the one who’d been hurt. Chloe still seemed to be in shock. The longer she sat there in silence the closer Cass came to tears.

Marinette made a happy hum beside him and he looked at her in shock. She just smiled at him before getting up to show her phone to Chloe. It took a minute for her to register whatever was on the screen, but her eyes went wide once she did.

“Is it still what you want?” His soulmate’s voice was gentle and Chloe started nodding frantically, still unable to form words. Apparently Cass wasn’t the only one who went nonverbal in times of stress. Kagami leaned over to look and her eyes widened in surprise. Whatever was happening with their songs seemed to have Cass thoroughly confused. Marinette just grinned. “Kaalki, you know what to do.”

The Kwami darted into view moments before a portal opened up next to Marinette. The same portal opened beside Cass and Damian watched as his soulmate reached through to drag his sister into the room. The reactions from the three soulmates were very different. Kagami’s expression tightened slightly and that was the only sign of discomfort. Chloe gripped her head in both hands and winced for a minute before relaxing. Cass got the worst of it, he assumed because she was standing. Damian watched as her eyes crossed and she lost her balance landing on the floor for the second time. He had to stifle the urge to laugh since he didn’t think anyone would appreciate it.

Chloe launched herself from the couch letting out a strangled sob and tackled Cass in a hug. Kagami simply sat calmly and watched the scene. Cass shot Damian a look of confusion. Marinette was still just beaming at all of them. He felt like he should be surprised or annoyed or something but at this point being around Marinette was desensitizing him to such random occurences. He couldn’t do anything but give Cass a helpless shrug.

His soulmate walked around the girls on the floor to sit beside him again, looking rather smug and Damian couldn’t help but roll his eyes in exasperation.

“What happened to it might be too dangerous?” She just leaned into his shoulder still smiling at Chloe and Cass.

“Gen texted me back and said that the worst that would happen would be a headache or possibly a bloody nose. Cass said more than once that it was Chloe’s decision so I let her decide.” He looked at his sister, who still seemed shellshocked, before raising an eyebrow at Marinette.

“A little warning might have been nice. I think you broke Cass.” She just gave him an innocent smile and he frowned at her.

“There have already been too many misunderstandings. I didn’t want to risk anyone changing their minds.” He gave her a skeptical look but what’s done is done. Chloe seemed… not happy but relieved at least. Cass slowly relaxed enough to return the girls hug even and she and Kagami seemed to be trying to stare each other down. That was going to be an interesting dynamic.

“Kagami.” Marinette’s voice was soft, but it did get the other girls attention to shift to her. “Chloe needs you both right now. We’ll go so the three of you can talk, but promise me you’ll keep an open mind, please?” Between her tone and the pleading look in her eyes it would’ve taken someone completely devoid of feeling to refuse her request. Kagami certainly wasn’t up to the task.

“I promise.” She didn’t seem happy about it but she did get up to walk closer to her soulmates. Cass tried to smile at her but just looked like she was going to be ill. Chloe reached behind, seeming to know exactly where Kagami was, and grabbed the girls hand pulling her down to the floor with them. She was still crying but it seemed to have tapered off some. Marinette tugged his arm to get him moving and they walked out.

“Are you sure it was a good idea to leave them alone. Chloe doesn’t seem like she’s in any state to stop Cass and Kagami from killing each other.” His soulmate just shot him an unamused look. 

“I have faith neither of them will do anything to upset Chloe further and they all need time to adjust and feel each other out. The last thing they need is an audience they might feel the need to put up a front for.” She frowned in thought. “You may want to text Barbara and let her and Steph know that Cass is here so they don’t worry.” Yeah, that’s just what he needed was all the female bats in a panic. No thank you. He had just pulled his phone out of his pocket when the door behind them opened. He turned just in time to have someone slam into him in a hug.

“Thank you.” Chloe’s voice was still choked with tears, and he could figure out why she was attached to him. “Make sure you give Mari her share of the hug. I don’t think I can be careful with her right now.” She gave Marinette a tearful smile and ran back into the room, shutting the door behind her.

“What was that?” Damian didn’t realize he’d spoken out loud until he heard his Angel giggle beside him. 

“Hurricane Chloe. She comes, she confuses, then she disappears like nothing ever happened. She’ll never acknowledge it either which will make you think you imagined the whole thing in the first place.” Her voice was fond though a little sad, “She’s not in the habit of being nice or thanking people so she tends to do it quickly and gets embarrassed by it.” He pulled her into a hug and Marinette gave him a questioning look.

“Well she did tell me to give you your share. Who am I to refuse the wishes of a lady in distress?” Marinette just rolled her eyes at him but he could feel the laughter in her song as she let him wrap her in his arms. He just hoped Cass was half as satisfied with her bond as he was with his.


	90. Cass's Worries

Damian had settled on the couch with his soulmate doing his best to keep her calm. When they’d been focused on the other girls, it hadn’t been an issue but now that she didn’t have a distraction something was bothering her. He didn’t want to push her to tell him, but it couldn’t hurt to ask right?

“What’s wrong?” She flinched beside him and he realized his tone was a bit harsh. He wasn’t mad or upset at her but he didn’t like it when she spiraled like this. He could hear it in her song as she drew further into herself. He tried to make his song more calming and reached out to take her hand, rubbing circles on the back in a manner he hoped was soothing.

“It’s just… I haven’t been away from Tikki in so long. It’s like losing a part of myself. Not to mention with my luck this will be when something happens.” Her tone was dry and he frowned at her.

“I thought luck was kind of your thing.” She let out an unamused snort.

“When I’m Ladybug maybe, but Marinette? She has incredibly bad luck.” He blinked at her as he remembered his conversation with Plagg.

“The Kwami’s think it may be partly to do with the wrong person having the Black Cat Miraculous and the fact that we’re soulmates. Plagg said something about you having bad luck so that it would draw me to you.” She frowned at him in thought, opening her mouth a few times before she spoke.

“That… that makes sense actually. If the magic knew Adrien and I weren’t a matched pair it would make sense that it would try to force us together.” Damian’s guilt returned full force even though he could tell she didn’t hold it against him. 

“If I hadn’t been so stupid, none of this would have happened.” He said it more because he felt the need to verbalize it than anything. He knew it was true, just as he knew Marinette would argue with him.

“You didn’t know, couldn’t have known. None of this is your fault. If you want to blame someone perhaps the person who made you so reluctant to find me in the first place would be a better target.” He looked at her in surprise. That was surprisingly sound logic.

“Perhaps. But I’ve been away from the woman for over five years now. I should have done more research and thought for myself. Instead I simply ignored it until I was forced not to. There was no one in my family that would explain things, or that I could watch, so I just left it alone. I should have done more.” Marinette let out a sigh before leaning on his shoulder.

“Maybe. But the past is the past. You’re here now and that’s all that matters.” It wasn’t though. All the hurt and pain she’d been through had been his fault, whether she believed it or not. The Miraculous wouldn’t have screwed with her luck if he’d just manned up and found her when he should have. His stupidity and fear had almost gotten her killed. 

Before he could fall too far into his self flagellation, the door opened and Cass stepped in a bit sheepishly. She was shifting from foot to foot obviously uncomfortable until she decided to sit on a chair near them. She seemed on the verge of talking multiple times but didn’t manage it. She nervously wiped her hands on her pants and they waited. Marinette just gave her an encouraging smile while Damian just pretended she wasn’t even there. She’d figure it out when she was ready.

“How do I make this right?” Damian didn’t have an answer for her. Hearing his own doubts and insecurities coming from Cass hit him harder than it probably should have. It also occurred to him that if he’d gone looking for his soulmate Cass might have followed suit. So in a way it was his fault she was in this position as well. Luckily Marinette was far more equipped to handle the situation.

“You may not be able to. Not completely and not right away. Hurt like this takes time to heal and trust is something that you have to build up. Chloe’s going to be scared for awhile that you’ll just up and disappear on her. There’s nothing you can do about that other than stay and reassure her when she’s having a bad time of it.” Cass’s look turned even more worried.

“But what if I can’t stay? We’ve got responsibilities in Gotham. I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to just up and leave.” Damian grinned as a thought occurred to him.

“You turn eighteen in a few weeks. Bruce was going to have one of my brother’s move here with me because I’m underage, but under the circumstances I’m sure we could convince him that you’d be a better option. Besides, he wouldn’t try to force you away from your soulmates. My father has many flaws, as you know, but he isn’t heartless.” Cass still didn’t look convinced.

“Chloe’s mother is based in New York so worst case scenario you could all visit, sometimes here and sometimes there. But I meant more if you were to stop contact than anything else. As long as you call and text regularly that’ll reassure her. You just can’t stop talking to her for weeks or months at a time with no explanation.” She seemed to think about that for a few minutes.

“But I’m not good with words. I don’t understand how talking makes a difference when she’s already inside my head.” Damian couldn’t help but agree with her and judging by the look his soulmate shot him she could tell. He could feel her concentration as she tried to come up with a way to explain that they would understand.

“People need to know that you can see them, that you aren’t ignoring them. In a soulmate bond you generally can’t tell who or what a person’s emotions are aimed at, just that they’re there. You don’t know if they’re thinking about you or even care that you exist at all. Being present and giving your time to talk to the other person lets them know that you see them. Does that make sense?” Cass’s brow furrowed in concentration and he’d admit he had to think about it as well. It did make sense, sort of.

“So it’s really the actions, the focusing on them, not the actual words that matter?” Poor Cass sounded so confused but Marinette beamed at her.

“Yes in a way. Conversing with someone shows that your attention is on them. It’s possible to be in the same physical space as another person and still ignore them. Chloe’s parents have always been bad about that. Granted her dad has gotten better. But Chloe spent a lot of time in the same room with both of them without either giving any indication that she was important to them. Without giving her any of their time or attention. Other things were always more important. She needs to know that she’s important to you. She needs to feel like she matters.” Cass was still frowning but she didn’t look as confused.

“Can I do that without talking?” Damian let out a snort of laughter earning a glare from both girls. Marinette quickly turned her focus back to his sister.

“You can listen. And most importantly you can be present and do things to show her that she matters, that you’ve thought about her.” Cass looked slightly panicked and her next words came out in a rush.

“What kinds of things? Should i be taking notes?” Damian had to struggle not to laugh and despite knowing his soulmate would hit him if he did he could hear some amusement in her song as well.

“You’ll have to learn what to do from her. Pay attention to what she says and the things she does. If she compliments something you do, keep doing it. Learn about her likes and dislikes and show her you were paying attention. Granted that will be easier to do if you stay, but either way the key is just paying attention and make sure she knows you are. If she thinks you’re bored with her or thinks she’s a burden that’s what will hurt her.” 

“Okay, what about Kagami?” Marinette blinked at her for a minute and he could tell she was trying not to laugh.

“Same thing, though it will probably be harder. I’ve only just met her myself but she doesn’t seem to be the emotive type so it’s going to be harder to figure out what she needs from you. Right now though I’d say the best way to get and stay on her side is to keep Chloe happy. Kagami only just found out about the soulmate bond but she was close to Chloe before that and knows how hurt she was by your absence.” Cass winced and Marinette softened her tone. “I’m not saying that to blame you. It’s just that Kagami doesn’t know you, all she knows is that you hurt her friend. Whether it was intentional or not is a moot point.” Cass sighed, but seemed determined.

“I need to talk to Bruce to see if I can stay. I don’t suppose you could tell him it would be dangerous to send me back too quickly?” She sounded hopeful but Marinette shook her head.

“I’ve already explained the situation to everyone. You’re expected to stay at least until he goes back.” Marinette frowned at him.

“When did you do that?” He just rolled his eyes.

“I’ve been texting back and forth since you yanked her through that portal. Not to mention I told him that Cass had said she would fly here if that’s what her soulmates wanted. He knows what battles are worth fighting and this isn’t one of them. Not for him at least.”

“Good.” Cass’s voice was firm but she still looked nervous. Nothing would get rid of that except time. Chloe wasn’t the only one that needed reassurance even if Cass didn’t realized it herself.


	91. Play to Your Strengths

It was two hours later that Gen called Marinette to say they could go back to the mansion. Those were two of the most painful hours of his life. The sheer awkwardness and embarrassment should have done them all in. Marinette had tried so hard to ease the tension but had failed miserably. Damian sent out thanks to every deity he could think of that he only had one soulmate.

Chloe and Kagami had come into the room about twenty minutes after Cass. Everything seemed fine as they sat down, but everything deteriorated after that. Damian watched as Chloe sent longing looks at him and his soulmate. He didn’t understand it until he noticed the way her eyes lingered on Mari’s head on his shoulder, or their joined hands. She seemed to crave physical contact. He tried to catch Cass’s eye, hoping she notice but he didn’t have any luck.

Kagami had planted herself firmly between Cass and Chloe and did nothing but glare at his sister. Apparently Cass wasn’t the only one who needed to be taken aside and told to pay attention. He knew she was worried about Chloe but ignoring her to protect her was something even he could see was a bad idea. So they spent the time with everyone miserable in one way or another until released by Gen’s summons. 

Once back at the mansion, Damian could feel the difference immediately. The air wasn’t as heavy and oppressive. Judging by the loudness of his brothers they felt it too. As much as their nonsense annoyed him, it was a bit of a relief to hear them back to their boisterous nature. Gen walked into the the foyer, looking tired but relieved, and smiled at them.

“You two can separate now. The house won’t be draining Mari’s energy anymore.” Damian instinctively tightened his hand on Marinette’s. Sure, not being able to get away from each other had it’s issues, but he didn’t like someone telling him to let go either. Marinette squeezed back and made no move to let go. Gen caught the movement and her smile widened.

“Do you know what exactly was draining my energy in the first place?” Gen’s smile dropped and was replaced with a scowl, but it was Tikki that answered as she a Plagg flew to them. Plagg looked extremely annoyed.

“Do you remember how Gen mentioned she’d been Cataclysmed in an attempt to separate her from Nixx?” They just nodded. “Well… This was one of the places that they tried it. Apparently it left a mark. Honestly it’s amazing anyone felt comfortable enough here to build a house.”

“Hang on.” Marinette was scowling. “If it didn’t work the first time why would they try to Cataclysm her again?” Plagg and Tikki shared a look before Plagg blew out a frustrated breath and answered. 

“Humans have short memories and despite our explaining that it was a stupid idea they kept trying it in different places or with other Miraculous combined with mine. None of us were happy about it.” Gen just shrugged.

“Not your fault. I came to terms with what happened a long time ago, I just can’t believe it took me so long to remember that this was one of those places. I mean sure it was just a little settlement back then, but I still should have realized it.” She yawned and her eyes were drooping.

“Alright, you sent all of us to rest so now it’s your turn. Go find a room and we’ll find you if we need to.” She didn’t even bother to argue just gave an unsteady wave before stumbling out of the room. “Tikki is she going to be alright?” He could hear the worry in Marinette’s voice.

“She’ll be okay. Cleansing the place took a lot out of all of us but human bodies don’t recharge the same way Kwami’s do so it hit her the hardest. We made sure to pace her so that she didn’t drop dead. We may not have time for her to reincarnate before Hawkmoth gets back if she does.” Damian blinked at the matter of fact way the Kwami spoke. He supposed that when you never stay dead, dying isn’t a big deal. He heard Marinette click her tongue in annoyance and thought it was directed at the casualness of Tikki’s words until he noticed her looking at the three girls.

Kagami was still putting herself in the middle while not paying real attention to Chloe. Cass kept shooting concerned glances past the fencer at her other soulmate. Cass could obviously tell that Chloe was in distress of some sort. Even Damian could tell by her body language, so why was Kagami acting like nothing was wrong? It made no sense. He suddenly heard understanding in Marinette’s song.

“Chloe I need to talk to you for a minute.” She leaned in to whisper to Damian. “Kagami doesn’t know how to read emotions through the bond. I’m going to talk to Chloe about it. Can you keep them from going after each other?” Damian blinked at her in surprise but quickly nodded. Watching Marinette leave the room was a bit surreal after being unable to let go of her for so long. He looked back to see Kagami and Cass glaring at each other. This might not be as easy as he thought.

“You’re both idiots.” Well at least now they were both glaring at him. “Neither one of you understands the soulmate bond well enough to utilize it properly yet you both ignore the things you do understand.” Kagami continued to glare at him, but Cass looked uncertain.

“What do you mean?” Cass sounded like she didn’t want an answer but she did ask. Kagami just seemed to be trying to intimidate him, but he couldn’t be sure if she wanted him to remain silent or keep talking. 

“You’ve spent your entire life reading body language. You understand it better than anyone but rather than use that to get into their heads and figure out how to reach your goal you’re letting fear lead you and ignoring what’s right in front of you. I know you can see how upset Chloe is with the way you two are acting.” Cass’s guilt was written all over her face. He turned to Kagami. “As for you, perhaps if you would actually look at her once in awhile you’d be able to tell that you’re the one hurting her by not only keeping her away from one soulmate, but by keeping all your attention on Cass. Chloe is a hero protected by a miniature god. She can take care of herself. She doesn’t need you to keep Cass in line she needs you to be there for her. In trying to keep Cass from doing any damage you’re hurting her worse yourself.”

Kagami’s expression didn’t change. He couldn’t figure out if she was just really good at hiding her emotions, had been forced to repress them so long she couldn’t show them, or just didn’t have strong feelings. Given the way Cass was side eyeing her he doubted it was the last one.

“How would you suggest we proceed?” Damian wasn’t expecting that question. When he looked at Cass he saw a hopeful expression. They both wanted him to tell them what to do. He couldn’t help but sigh at the irony.

“Ask Chloe to help both of you understand the bond. And stop acting like tom cats squaring off in an ally. It’s unsightly and beneath you both.” They exchanged a glance before both rolled their eyes. Damian’s lips curled in a slight smile. Well that was a start.


	92. Planning

When Marinette and Chloe walked back into the room Damian could tell his soulmate felt the change. When Chloe walked back over to Cass and Kagami they moved to keep her between them rather than on either side. Chloe shared a look with Marinette, before leading her soulmates out of the room.

“What did you say to them?” He could hear her amusement even before he answered.

“I called them out on their stupidity.” She tried to hide a smile at his dry tone but didn’t quite manage. “Neither one of them understands subtlety in words so I merely talked to them in words they’d understand.” She reached up to kiss his cheek and he froze, blinking at her in surprise.

“Thank you. Telling Chloe to be patient is like telling a fish to breathe air. I thought I was going to have to pull them each aside separately to try and get through to them. I’m pretty sure you just saved me a rather large headache.” He had to shake himself back to reality before he could respond.

“Always happy to help Angel.” His voice sounded a little strange but Marinette didn’t seem to notice as she beamed at him. Her expression and song slowly turned more serious and he would admit to himself he wanted her to stay happy longer before the real world came back. “What’s on your mind?” Her lips twitched upward though he had no idea why.

“I’m just trying to figure out where to focus my attention. I think I want to wait to talk to Mme. Agreste again until Gen is awake. I’m wondering if there’s anything else useful I can get out of Adrien though. It’s just a bit draining to play into his delusion.” The sparkle came back into her eyes. “And I know you really don’t like it when I do.”

“Anyone with common decency would dislike the way he acts like he owns you.” He didn’t mean to snap and tried to calm himself. “I just mean no one deserves to be treated like a possession, or like their only value is in being in a relationship with someone else.” He was looking at the door wondering if he should just make a run for it when he felt Marinette lean into him with a hug.

“I understand and I’m glad you feel that way.” He thought she was going to say more but Nightwing choose that moment to make an appearance.

“Gabriel just confirmed his flight back. We’ll keep watching but if nothing changes he’ll be here tomorrow night.” Damian felt more than heard Marinette groan against him. His amusement must have come through in his song because she pinched his side in retaliation.

“Thanks Dick. Hopefully we’ll be ready, and he’ll be surprised. I would really like to pull this off without unnecessary force.” He could tell from her tone that she didn’t believe that was possible.

“Why don’t we pull in everyone to go over your plan? Well not everyone but you, me, Chloe, Gen, and my father. Maybe a couple others. You’ve been doing everything in your head, it might help to use us as sounding boards.” She looked up at him frowning in thought. He could tell it had never occurred to her. 

“I’m not used to having people I can talk to, or even being able to plan in advance to be honest. With Akuma’s they’re always different in some way so even if I knew who was going to be a victim next, I wouldn’t be able to make a plan to take them down. I guess I never really thought of this differently. I think you’re right. At the very least it can’t hurt to brainstorm a little.” He hadn’t really considered the fact that she was used to coming up with everything on the spot. More to the point her powers demanded it in a way because of her lucky charm. It’s possible part of her luck as Ladybug was tied directly to random chance. If that was the case it could be detrimental to plan things out.

“Tikki.” The Kwami peeked out from Marinette’s purse. “Do you think planning is a good idea or would it be better to wing in and leave things to luck?” She floated up in front of his face with an approving smile.

“You figured that out awfully fast. Planning for big things is fine but the smaller details are fluid until an action happens so it’s best to not overthink them. The odds for Ladybug are always better if you don’t go in with rigid thinking. Creation in itself is highly dependant on chance. The circumstances have to align just right in order for new things to come into being. You can’t force it to happen and if you’re too intent on making one thing you lose so many opportunities because you can’t see they’re even possible.”

“Can’t see the forest for the trees type of deal?” Damian had honestly forgotten Nightwing was there, but Tikki let out a little giggle.

“Exactly. That’s why Mari is my chosen. She doesn’t look at the world around her to shape it into what she wants. She sees beauty and possibility everywhere and draws from that inspiration to create even more beauty. She doesn’t look around her and want to change what is already there, but rather to add to it. So by all means, plan and talk. It will be good for Marinette to get input from other sources. It will give her more options and allow for even more possibilities during the confrontation with Hawkmoth.”


	93. Brainstorming

Damian would swear to his dying breath that he hated Chloe, or rather Red Wasp. They were in the gym again and she was now humiliating both him and Kagami under the guise of training. The more frustrated he got the sloppier he got and even knowing that he couldn’t stop himself. Knowing that Marinette was watching and trying to calm him down with her song honestly just made it worse. Even when he and Kagami managed to work to together and find a decent rhythm Chloe completely obliterated them. After being Venomed five times in an hour he was done. When Gen walked in the room he was ready to drop to his knees in gratitude. 

Gen whispered something in Marinette’s ear that caused her to start then frown at them in thought. All he could pick up from her was concentration though so he hadn’t a clue what had been said. His soulmate nodded slowly as Gen made another comment and Damian had to wonder whether or not he should be worried.

“I think that’s enough for now guys. Since Gen’s awake we should probably go ahead and get everyone together to brainstorm ideas.” Oh thank goodness. He hazarded a glance at Kagami and could practically feel the relief radiating from her. He could only shudder at the idea of going up against his Angel if this was how good Chloe was after a year of being inactive.

They ended up gathering in the dining room. They left Tim and Jason in charge of Adrien, but everyone else was there. They even had Oracle on a video call to give them the best advice on the tech side of things. Marinette looked around the table and honestly just looked lost.

“Why don’t you tell us what your plan is and we can talk and offer suggestions after?” His words didn’t really help. Now she just sort of looked like a deer in the headlights. Chloe was looking at her with concern.

“Mari’s great at thinking on her feet. She’s the one you want in charge in times of crisis. Pre-planning isn’t really her thing though.” Marinette blushed but didn’t dispute the statement. Most of his family seemed unsure of where to go from there. It was Selina who finally spoke up.

“Okay, so we treat it like an ongoing situation or simulation. So let’s start at the beginning. You said you want to go after Gabriel as soon as he lands. How do you plan to do that?” Marinette frowned in thought and answered carefully.

“I suppose the easiest and quickest way would be to ambush him as soon as he deplanes and grab his miraculous before he has a chance to transform.” Simple but possibly effective.

“Okay, what if he transforms on the plane? Perhaps he’s figured out something is wrong.” It was Chloe that answered.

“We should have at least two teams set up. One to stick with Gabriel and one to go after any Akuma’s he creates. The real question is are you going to hand out anymore Miraculous? Gotham’s heros may be well trained but they’re still just human and going up against magic is dangerous.”

“I can help with that.” Gen spoke from the end of the table where she was leaning back in her chair. He’d honestly thought she was asleep. “Those of you used to fighting do it better as yourselves than you would with a Miraculous anyway so I can imbue you with power to mimic the strength and protection a Miraculous would.” Damian frowned.

“Doesn’t that mean I shouldn’t be using a Miraculous.” Gen just shook her head at him.

“Ladybug needs her Black Cat. That overrides everything else. I can assure you that without that balance this entire operation will fail before it begins.” It was worth a try at least. “Don’t worry. You and Kagami both will fare far better in an actual battle than you have sparring with Chloe.” He wanted to ask where her surety came from but didn’t get the chance.

“Okay, forget if he stays on the plane. What if he’s on a completely different fight and we miss him. Assuming he doesn’t come straight here how do we find him?” And it went on and on for hours. One person would ask a question or set up a scenario and everyone would chime in with ideas and suggestions for how to deal with it. By the time night fell they’d gone through hundreds of possibilities. Deep down, Damian knew that none of them would be right but given what Tikki had said that was probably a good thing. As they were leaving the room to take a break and send someone for food, he stopped Gen by the door.

“Why are you so certain I’ll fight better during a real battle?” She just smiled at him 

“Because a Black Cat always protects their Ladybug. Once she’s in real danger there’s nothing on this earth that will keep you from that task.”


	94. Unexpected Return

They were just about to assemble again when they heard a loud crash. Damian and Marinette were out the door immediately. He heard her call for her transformation as they raced towards the room Adrien was being held.

“Someone go check on Mme. Agreste!” She yelled to the people behind them.

“We’re on it.” Chloe’s voice so most likely she and Kagami. Everyone else should follow but he didn’t care if they did or not. 

“Oracle check on Nathalie.” He practically growled the words through the comm. When they rushed into the room Damian found his brothers on floor, unresponsive and Adrien was gone. Well that couldn’t be good.

“Nathalie’s still there. I’ve locked down everything.” He relayed the message to Ladybug but she just sighed. After looking at Red Robin and Red Hood she just shook her head.

“It won’t matter if he goes for her. I don’t know when or how but Gabriel’s back in Paris. Adrien’s been Akumatized and knocked these two out using his powers. Gen, can you wake them.” The woman just raised an eyebrow at her. “I already tried.”

“That’s interesting.” Gen looked over the two prone bodies occasionally letting out a hum or something closer to a growl. “Nixx.” The Kwami appeared before moving to Gen’s hand and surrounding it. He watched in shock as she reached into Red Hoods chest. His chest began to glow and Gen looked like she was in pain. After a minute she pulled out and as soon as her hand was clear Red Hood sat up gasping for air. She repeated the process with Red Robin with the same result.

“What was wrong with them?” Marinette sounded wary but Gen was still scowling at the boys.

“I’m not entirely sure. It’s almost like the were hit with something that stopped them in time but not exactly. Whatever it is I don’t like it. Nixx almost failed to bring them out of it. I need to give all of you boosts now before anyone runs into him again. You need to transform and stay transformed.” The last was aimed a Damian. He wanted to argue but Ladybug took his hand and squeezed. In both her eyes and song he felt her worry. He sighed and muttered the transformation phrase. The look on Selina’s face made him regret in instantly but she refrained from commenting and he was grateful. Ladybug’s yoyo beeped and she opened it to a call from Red Wasp. 

“Mme. Agreste is still here and she hasn’t seen anyone.” That was something. Ladybug seemed even more confused though.

“What is it Angel?” She blinked at him.

“Gabriel’s primary objective has been his wife’s return. If she’s still here it either means Adrien went rogue or he managed to keep the fact that she’s awake from his father. Either way it makes Adrien a loose cannon. He may or may not really be working with his father and if he has a different goal he’ll be even more unpredictable. He may actually go after Gabriel himself.” He could feel her mind working through possible scenarios.

“Do you think it’s likely he’ll come back here?” She frowned but didn’t answer. “With you as his main object and Mme. Agreste as his father’s I’d think they would eventually. We could dig in here for the time being.”

“That’s not a bad idea. That way we can all keep an eye on each other and no one will go down somewhere we can’t find or get to them. It’s probably for the best until one of them shows up.” He could tell she didn’t really like sitting tight but she was at a loss on what else to do. He squeezed her hand. Red Hood and Red Robin seemed to be mostly recovered.

“So do either of you two remember what happened?” He knew he sounded like he expected nothing and knew it would get a rise out of them.

“We were just standing here and all of a sudden Agreste was surrounded by purple smoke. Next thing I know Gen was in front of me and it felt like I’d been hit by a truck.” Red Hood’s recitation was less than helpful.

“Do you have anything to add to that riveting story?” Red Robin actually stuck his tongue out at him before answering. All his siblings were children.

“His outfit when he changed looked exactly like his Chat Noir suit except all green. His hair turned black and his eyes were completely black with red streaks radiating from the center.”

“I’m done boosting everyone so I’m going to go get Nathalie. She could prove to be a useful bargaining chip and it’s best if she’s where we have ready access to her.” Gen’s voice sounded a little off and he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Are you alright?” She waived off Ladybug’s concern.

“Fine. Doing all that at once was just a little draining.” Ladybug looked like she wanted to argue but just sighed.

“Alright, but when you get back you’re eating and resting.” Gen just offered a smile and salute before disappearing out the door.


	95. Nathalie's Return

It had been half an hour since Gen left. The round trip should have taken her fifteen minutes. All the cameras at Gabriel had gone down five minutes after she left. Damian could only watch as his soulmate started spiraling into a panic attack. Nothing he said or did was helping and she just kept asking Red Robin and Oracle if they’d gotten the cameras back on yet.

“We could go after her.” He heard the indecision in her song as she continued to pace. If not for that he would have assumed she didn’t hear him.

“It could be a trap. I didn’t like the idea of Gen going in the first place. If something managed to take her down walking in there blind is just likely to get us killed.” She had a point but he hated waiting. He had a constant itch to be doing something. Judging by the way she was pacing and her agitation she wasn’t fond of it either. He was about to make another suggestion for her to shoot down when there was a crash in the foyer. They all sprinted out of the room. They were greeted by the sight of Nathalie holding Gen upright. The human Miraculous looked disoriented and grinned widely when she saw Ladybug.

“See! I told you I’d bring her back.” She tried to gesture at Nathalie but ended up on the floor laughing at something none of the rest of them could fathom. Nathalie was inching away from her and Red Hood got his act together long enough to grab her in case she tried to escape again. The look she gave him said she thought he was an idiot. Damian couldn’t help but think that she wasn’t wrong.

“What happened?” Ladybug crouched down in front of Gen who was still laughing hysterically. Nixx slowly came out of wherever it was they hid. 

“The fake black cat beat us there and was going to kill that one.” They motioned to Nathalie who shuddered. “He was ranting about making room for his real mother and the love of his life to take care of him. Most of it didn’t make sense. Gen jumped between them and took the blow while landing one of her own. The cat has a broken arm but was able to get away. Gen will be fine in fifteen minutes or so.”

“She took the hit without being transformed?” Nixx just shrugged at Ladybug’s worried tone.

“You know how hard it is to damage a Miraculous and they’re impossible to destroy unless the Kwami chooses to leave this plane. There’s very little advantage to Gen to transform and this gives us more freedom to work independently. She only transforms if she needs full control over my powers and that is rare.” She looked back at Gen who was now pointing and laughing at something on the ceiling. “It might be best to have something for her to eat though. Absorbing that much energy is what caused this. Her body is trying to expend the excess and will likely go overboard.”

Damian sent Nightwing to the kitchen while the rest of his family were huddled in a corner talking amongst themselves, except for Red Hood who was not about to lose Nathalie twice. Ladybug was still studying Gen but soon stood to walk up to Nathalie.

“What happened?” The woman just looked confused.

“That creature just told you what happened.”

“I’d like to hear it from you, and I’d like you to start with when Adrien got there.” She hesitated. Her struggle was almost tangible, but eventually self preservation won out.

“I’m not sure where he entered the building. The first I knew he was there was when he broke through the door. I thought he was there to release me and take me to Gabriel. Instead he said that it was necessary to remove me as I would no longer be needed by his father, since he’d have Emilie back, or him since you two would be together once everything is sorted out. I pointed out that Gabriel could just fire me and he just started rambling about loose ends before returning to his original speech, which is when she came in.” Her recitation was done in a flat tone, like she was reading notes or something equally unimportant. For someone who was almost killed she seemed awfully calm.

“Do you believe that both Adrien and Gabriel truly want you out of the way?” If he hadn’t been watching her Damian would have missed the momentary tightness around her mouth. When she answered it was in the same bored tone.

“I do.” That was it. No rationalizing, no excuses. There was a flash of something in her eyes though, and Ladybug saw it. Without warning she pulled the woman into a hug. Nathalie looked at them all for help but the best she got were shrugs.

“No one deserves to be treated like they don’t matter. I don’t care how far from reality those two are they should still be grateful for everything you’ve done for them.” Everyone else in the room was sharing looks of confused disbelief. Was she really trying to comfort a terrorist? Nathalie seemed just as confused as the rest of them and looked relieved when Gen groaned on the floor, diverting Ladybug’s attention.

Gen was lying on her back with an arm thrown over her eyes. Nixx sat on her chest, the light emanating from them pulsing slightly. If not for the steady movement of her chest she would have looked dead. She was certainly pale enough for it. Finally she removed her arm to look straight at Ladybug.

“Well, I understand his powers better now and they’re getting stronger. For the record I’d just like to say we are screwed.”


	96. Marshaling the Kwami

Damian had been in tough spots before. However, having a five thousand year old entity telling them that they were screwed was a level of shit storm he’d never encountered. No one moved or seemed to have any idea what to say until Nathalie of all people got impatient.

“Care to elaborate?” She sounded annoyed but he couldn’t tell if that was aimed at Gen or the fact that her employer and his son apparently wanted her dead.

“We’re really, really screwed.” Gen tried to sit up but ended up collapsing back onto the floor. “I said that it felt like he’d stopped time when in truth his powers reverse it. Those two,” She gestured to Red Hood and Red Robin. “Are about a year younger physically than they were before. I don’t know if Adrien was holding back, didn’t want to seriously hurt them, or his powers are growing. The blast he hit me was meant to take of seventy five years off Nathalie’s life, which obviously would have killed her. I survived because I’m a Miraculous but if he had gone higher, I’d say a hundred and fifty years or so, he would have killed me.” Well that was another complication they didn’t need. 

“Do you think he realized that?” Gen shook her head at Ladybug’s question. “Is there anyway to counteract it?” Gen grinned a little too wide for his liking.

“Oh most definitely. A transformed Miraculous holder is practically immune. At least with the older Kwami’s. I don’t care how powerful he gets there’s no way he can hit you with a blast capable of reversing Tikki’s life span. As long as you’re transformed they’re the ones affected by the blast not your human body. So honestly taking him down shouldn’t be too difficult, but in the meantime anyone not transformed by a Miraculous is in severe danger.”

“So you’re saying I need to hand out more Miraculous.” It was a statement, not a question but Gen shook her head. She shot Red Hood a look and he frowned at her for a moment before leading Nathalie out of the room.

“Everything I said before still holds. They’ll fight better without them and probably become a hindrance if they aren’t true holders. What I did will offer some protection and you could ask the Kwami’s themselves to stick with different people that way they can get in the way of the blast. They’ll enjoy being out and about and likely think of it like a game. Well except Wayzz of course. Everyone should carry food for him because he’ll shield the entire city if he has to and will be all over the place trying to protect everyone.” 

Ladybug nodded and seemed lost in thought. Damian could feel her working through a plan. Gen just studied her, not offering any suggestions. After a few minutes she stepped away from everyone and he watched as Kaalki appeared from her yoyo and the two began whispering. He couldn’t hear them but felt no need to eavesdrop even though there was a voice in the back of his head that told him he could and should. It sounded suspiciously like Plagg. After a short conversation Kaalki opened a little portal, barely big enough for him to go through, before disappearing. When he came back through he was followed by at least two dozen other Kwami. He saw Gen smile and it looked approving. The Kwami hovered around Ladybug listening to her instructions until one of the ones he’d never seen before spotted Gen. The creature let out happy cry and then they all swarmed her. Damian had a feeling she was grateful she was still on the ground.

That was the scene Nightwing walked in on and he almost dropped the food he’d been sent to get. Damian just rolled his eyes. They should be getting used to this by now. By the time he looked back, Gen had marshaled the Kwami into some order, though a few of them still just flitted about excitedly. She was explaining the situation and giving them all assignments. They would occasionally look to Ladybug but she just gave them encouraging smiles. They seemed nervous having her and Gen in the same room.

“You need a name.” He barely kept himself from jumping as his soulmate’s voice sounded to his left. He’d been focused on Gen and hadn’t heard her sneak up on him. He frowned down at her as he registered her words.

“I have a name last I checked.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“A hero name. I have a feeling you’d rather not use the same one as your predecessor.” Damian actually growled and she smiled at him. “That’s what I thought. So you need a name.”

“And what do you think it should be?” He was preparing to veto whatever cute name she came up with because he’d never live it down but she surprised him.

“It’s your name, you should pick.” He frowned at her in thought. He’d inherited the mantle of Robin so he’d never had to create his own identity like this. As he looked into his soulmate’s eyes he thought about what he was in this form. What he represented, what he was meant to do. He was her black cat. He would destroy any and all threats to her. The name, he decided, should be what people should expect if they tried to harm her. 

“Kabus.” He caught Gen’s amused smile but ignored it. Ladybug looked like he’d just given her a precious gift and even if he didn’t understand why he was glad he’d put that expression on her face.

“Kabus.” She repeated the name solemnly, almost like a prayer. It was a wish and a hope rolled into one. It was the promise of a better future. He felt the resonance in their songs again. Their melodies blending seamlessly until he couldn’t tell one from the other. 


	97. Removing Distractions

“Have you had any luck finding Adrien?” Ladybug started questioning Red Robin and Oracle and Damian tuned it out a bit. He knew that if they’d found something they would have told them immediately. One of the Kwami zipped by his face and he had to keep himself from swatting it. No it wasn’t cat instincts, he just didn’t like things near his face. At least that’s what he told himself. The Kwami had basically overrun the mansion. Everywhere he turned another one was floating by, eating, or just making a nuisance of themselves. He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could handle.

He looked over at Ladybug who had three of the creatures sitting on her shoulders and another on her head. It didn’t phase her at all. That’s when it occurred to him that she was the Guardian. He’d heard various Kwami mention that she didn’t confine them to the box the way others had. It was with a feeling of dread that he realized that this would be his life. His soulmate sent him an encouraging smile as she read his mood. There was good and bad to everything in life he supposed.

Cass slipped into the room, taking position next to him against the wall. Trixx was on her head seemingly at ease. Once Gen had explained the situation to the Kwami and explained that they would need some of them to stick with certain people and protect them, Trixx had immediately dove for Cass yelling ‘Dibs!’ Damian could admit he was a bit worried about the situation and was very glad Marinette hadn’t given any of his family Miraculous.

“Chloe and Kagami are still with Mme. Agreste. Gen is up there healing her as well.” Cass’s mood was off. She seemed to be reporting facts but he saw the tightening of her fists and the small frown she wore. As much as he didn’t want to stifle her pain, with Hawkmoth back in Paris they had to be careful.

“Talk to them or get over it.” The words came out far more harsh than he’d meant them to and he saw a hurt look on her face before she hid it. He was so bad at this kind of thing. “I just mean that pouting down here isn’t going to help and right now we need everyone focused. Whatever issues you’re having with your soulmates you need to either deal with them or put them out of your mind until we’re done here. We can’t afford to have one of us taken over by Hawkmoth, not when things are already so uncertain.” She was frowning in thought and opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking.

“How would you feel if you had another soulmate? If you had to share?” When he glanced at her he could see the uncertainty and worry on her face. All of this had happened so fast for her she hadn’t really had time to process it. Add that to the fact Kagami was completely new to having a soulmate and saw Cass as a threat to her friend… well, they would need a lot more time to deal with it.

“I don’t know. You know as well as anyone I don’t like sharing.” That caused a small smile so he counted it as a win. “I think you and Kagami need to sit down and talk things out. Right now you’re an outsider while those two have been friends for about a year. Chloe is willing to put the past aside because you’ve been in her head since she was born. She may not like the choices you made but she knows you had a good reason because she can feel it. Kagami has no idea how to read your emotions yet. All she knows is that Chloe was hurt because of you. Until the two of you can get past that, it’s just going to put a strain on all of you.”   
“How am I supposed to do that when she won’t leave Chloe’s side? I don’t think either of us will be completely frank with each other if she’s there.” Damian just hummed in thought. She was right of course. They would both be far too worried about hurting Chloe, or of her thinking badly of them for either of them to be honest. He looked at Cass and smiled.

“Do you trust me?” Cass just looked at him with a blank expression.

“Absolutely not. Nothing good has ever started with that question from you.” He just rolled his eyes and called his soulmate over. She was just being a baby. Ladybug took one look at the two of them and raised an eyebrow.

“I think it would be helpful to minimize the chance for those who can’t defend themselves to be hurt. Perhaps we could send Mme. Agreste and Nathalie to Gotham until the threat is neutralized. Cass and Kagami could go with to keep an eye on them.” Cass just blinked at him trying to find a flaw in this plan but his soulmate was just looking at him thoughtfully.

“That’s not a bad idea. We can’t trust Nathalie and taking her out of the picture entirely so she can’t attempt to help Gabriel is probably a good idea. Having them both elsewhere would certainly be one less thing to worry about, but why…” She stopped looking between him and Cass. He could tell she was trying to understand his sudden wish to send them away. “What do you think Cass?”

“I…” He watched as his sister struggled with the idea. Her knowing she needed to work things out with Kagami was far different than her being willing to be alone with the girl. But she knew as well as he did that it needed to be done.

“I think it’s a good idea. Remove the weak links. Kagami and I are making things more complicated as well so it makes sense to send us.” Ladybug laid a hand on her arm in sympathy.

“You’re not a problem or a weakness. You’ve all had this sprung on you out of nowhere and that’s actually my fault. I do think that the two of you need to talk, but I don’t know that forcing the issue now is the best solution.” Cass nodded but still pressed on.

“Even if we go we don’t have to talk. The manor is more than big enough that we could avoid each other if we wanted. The main thing is that we’re a liability to you right now. If we’re in Gotham Chloe will be able to focus here and help you rather than try to run interference between us. It needs to be done.”


	98. Chloe's Determination

To say that Chloe was unhappy with the decision was an understatement. She was finally with both of her soulmates and now they wanted to rip not one but both away from her. When Cass came to Mme. Agreste’s room to explain the situation She just got more and more upset. When Cass was finished she didn’t say a word, just stormed out of the room leaving the others to prep Emilie for leaving. 

She didn’t even make it down the hallway before Ladybug was there pulling her into another room. She was so livid she couldn’t even speak at first so she just stood there glaring at the shorter girl. Ladybug simply waited for her to find her voice.

“You can’t do this to me!” Her voice cracked at the end and she could feel how close she was to breaking down and crying but she refused to do it. The concerned look Ladybug was giving her didn’t help her self control.

“I know this can’t be easy for you, and the last thing I want is to cause you pain, but this really is necessary. Nathalie and Mme. Agreste need to be moved to a safe location and I need to know your head is on straight for what’s coming.” Her voice was meant to be soothing but her words just pissed Chloe off.

“Excuse me? If I’m so unreliable perhaps I should just go with them.” Chloe watched as Ladybug flinched back and immediately felt sorry for her tone, but she wouldn’t back down on this.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. The tension between Kagami and Cass is distracting for everyone but they’re in your head so it’s even worse. They need time alone to size each other up and figure things out but we don’t have the luxury of giving them time to do so here. Sending them to Gotham gives them someplace they can do that without being a risk to you. I need you here. You’re an integral part of my team but I know and understand that soulmate’s take priority. If they were here and ended up distracting each other during a fight you’d obviously try to help them no matter the cost. This way you aren’t put in that position. As soon as we’ve dealt with Adrien and Gabriel I’ll bring them back, I promise.”

Chloe could see the sincerity in her eyes and she knew deep down that Ladybug, that Marinette would never suggest such a separation without a good reason. Of all people she knew what it was like to be afraid of losing something so precious. She couldn’t fault the hero’s reasoning either. The way Kagami kept acting towards Cass was bound to cause problems in a life and death scenario. But just the thought of both of them being so far away when she’d only just found them. It hurt.

“Look, if you want to go with them I won’t stop you. This is my fight and I just dragged you back into it. I completely understand if you don’t want the headache.” Chloe just blinked at her. 

“This isn’t just your fight. All of Paris, possibly all the world is at stake and you’re suggesting I just bow out and go hide?” As if there was any possible way that would happen. She’d left Marinette to fend for herself once and she was not about to do it again, on either side of the mask.

“I’m suggestion you do what you think is best. I need you here, but I need all of you here. I trust you to know if you can be present even if Cass and Kagami are elsewhere. If you can't, it's better you take care of that first.” Chloe paused to take a breath before she responded. The immediate denial that almost came out was more an instinct than truth. She tried to truly consider whether she’d be able to put her soulmate’s out of her head. Yes, they would be far away without her. She felt a pang of hurt and possibly jealousy at the thought, but it was manageable. At least she knew they’d be out of danger. Ladybug was right that she would drop everything if one of them were to get hurt in a fight. She could mute the bond and focus here. It wasn’t what she wanted, but it was necessary.

“I’m not going to abandon you again. I’m here and I’m staying until it’s over.” Ladybug just smiled at her.

“You didn’t abandon me. You did what you needed to to protect yourself from a terrorist preying on your emotions. In truth if you had stayed I probably would have had to fight you again. So really you were helping yourself and making my job easier.” Chloe knew that it was a joke, but she felt the truth behind it. It just made her that much more determined.

“Regardless, I won’t let you down again. This is far bigger than either of us and if you managed to endure everything you have in the past year, I can deal with being away from my soulmates for a week.” Ladybug shuddered.

“This had better not take that long. Now that Hawkmoth knows his identity is compromised I bet he’ll be even more dangerous. We need to end this as soon as possible.” Chloe just hummed in agreement. 

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get those four packed up and out of here so we can go find Gabriel and throw him in prison. He deserves to be there for his horrid Akuma designs if nothing else.” 


	99. Gate Crashers

Damian watched from across the room as Gen and Nathalie helped Mme. Agreste down the stairs. He frowned at the group as something nagged at the back of his mind. There was a connection between Nathalie and Mme. Agreste that he couldn't quite grasp. It could be the fact that they both wielded the Peacock Miraculous but he was almost certain that wasn’t it. It felt familiar to him though and that bothered him.

“You see it too don’t you?” He started as his soulmate’s voice snuck up on him. He hadn’t even heard her get close. He nodded in response to her question but was too annoyed to say anything. “It certainly explains why Nathalie was willing to work with Hawkmoth and why she was so worried about Emilie.” Damian just frowned down at her.

“Wait, you actually know what the connection is? I can only just tell it’s there.” She gave a thoughtful hum.

“Perhaps it’s just because you haven’t had a Miraculous long. Look at them.” She pointed to Chloe, Kagami, and Cass who were in a corner talking. Well it looked like Chloe was talking and the other two were just agreeing with whatever she said. He stared at them trying to figure out what Ladybug was trying to get him to see when it hit him. 

“You’re not saying that…” He couldn't even get the words out. He just kept looking back and forth between the two groups thinking he had to be wrong. Why could nothing about this situation make sense? “If that’s the case why would Emilie have even Married Gabriel in the first place?”

“I’d be willing to bet he forced her into it somehow but I can’t say for certain. It would certainly explain Adrien’s attitude towards soulmate bonds though.” Ladybug started walking towards the group and Damian followed. When she stopped in front of them he watched Nathalie flinch, though on the plus side she had lost a lot of her feathers.

“Is there something we can do for you?” Nathalie’s tone was reserved and wary though filled with what had to be an ingrained politeness. Ladybug just cocked her head at them.

“I was just wondering when you found out you were soulmates.” The woman paled and for a moment Damian was afraid she might faint. It was Emilie who answered.

“It wasn’t long after Gabriel made me quit acting. Suddenly I was in one place so it made me much easier to find. Once we’d met I told her to move on. Gabriel would never allow me to leave, but she’s a stubborn one.” She spoke with fondness and Nathalie’s cheeks reddened slightly. “Instead she got the job as Gabriel’s assistant thinking that would allow us to get closer, and it did to a point, but Gabriel was always demanding her attention and seemed to have a compulsive need to know where she was.” 

“Do you think he knew you were soulmates?” Damian’s question was met with shaking heads.

“Absolutely not. If he’d even suspected one or both of us would likely have been dead. Best case scenario he would have fired Nath.” Nathalie didn’t look quite as sure and Ladybug picked up on it.

“Maybe he did find out. Perhaps that’s why he had you use the Peacock Miraculous in the first place. What better way to get rid of you than the same thing that made Emilie sick. The same thing the created this entire situation. It would certainly be a good way to get you out of the way.” 

Before either woman could answer there was a deafening crack just before the ceiling caved in. Damian shielded his soulmate with his body waiting for the debris to hit, but it never did. When he hazarded a look, the five of them plus Chloe, Cass, and Kagami were all surrounded by a green shield. He saw Wayzz floating near the top staring at the hole in the roof.

“Alright people time’s up. Kaalki, we need the portal now.” The Kwami didn’t even wait for her to finish speaking before opening the portal. Chloe was literally shoving her soulmates at it and Gen wasn’t much gentler with Nathalie and Mme. Agreste. None of the had time to protest before all four were practically falling through the portal. All Damian hear was a muffled, ‘be careful!’ before the portal closed. He wasn’t sure if it came from Kagami, Cass, or both.

He, Ladybug, Red Wasp, and Gen all looked to the roof. Damian would have been happy if they could pin the collapse on structural damage, but he knew he wasn’t that lucky. Instead they watched as Adrien and Hawkmoth dropped through the opening. Damian had to hold back a laugh as Adrien actually hissed at him. 

“What’s the matter cat boy? Don’t like the fact that Plagg found a better wielder?” Adrien charged the shield and simply bounced off. It took everything in Damian not to laugh. Hawkmoth simply pulled his son up by the collar before turning to Ladybug.

“You are a foolish child meddling in things you know nothing about. You will return what is mine, and hand over your Miraculous or suffer the consequences.” Damian heard a strangled noise come from Gen before she exchanged a look with Ladybug and both burst out laughing. Red Wasp just rolled her eyes. Damian just sent a smug smile to Adrien who tried to rush the shield again. Idiot.

“As tempting as that offer is M. Agreste I think we’ll have to pass.” Damian was impressed at the sarcasm Ladybug conveyed. Gen let out a few more chuckles before she spoke as well.

“Even if she doesn’t know what she’s dealing with, I can assure you I do. You’ll be getting more Miraculous over my dead body.” Hawkmoth’s eyes narrowed at Gen before they widened in excitement. 

“You’re the Guardian!” She just raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t deny it. “I must say I expected you to be older.” Gen coughed to cover another laugh. If only he knew.


	100. Gen's Rage

“It’s over Agreste. Hand over your Miraculous or face the consequences.” Gabriel gave Ladybug a patronising smile. 

“So naive and sure of yourself. You can’t win this fight, not this time. I’ll simply let you try and best my newest creation. Unluckily for you I realized what was stopping my Akuma’s from defeating you.” Red Wasp scoffed at his words.

“You’re the one controlling them so obviously the problem is you.” Damian thought she made a fair point. Gabriel’s mouth tightened but he pretended he hadn’t heard her.

“The problem is that their Akumatized objects were too easy to find and destroy. With Adrien, the Akuma is in the one place you wouldn’t dare touch.” Ladybug and Red Wasp shared a frown, but Gen was studying Gabriel.

“If you did what I think you did, you’re dumber than I thought. Do you have any idea of the repercussions to Adrien?” Gabriel just shrugged at Gen’s words causing her to scowl at him.

“Once I make my wish none of it will matter anyway. It’s all just a means to an end.” Gen looked like she was about to have an aneurysm. Ladybug looked horrified at the words.

“Have you ever loved your son at all?” Ladybug’s words came out in a hushed whisper and Damian wasn’t even sure she meant to say it out loud.

“He has always been a very useful tool. First to control his mother, later in business, and now as a way to end you.” Damian growled low in his throat. He as the only one destroying things from now on. “I appreciate his utility even if he hasn’t always been the most reliable. And now that I’ve Akumatized his heart he’s bound to my will more firmly than any of the others.” They all inhaled sharply at the new information. Even Gen looked shocked, until it turned to anger. As Damian watched her eyes started to glow, gaining a red tint.

“Foolish man, do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Her voice seemed to resonate all around them, her fury a living thing. Gabriel should have been terrified instead he gave a contemptuous smile.

“Of course I do. I’ve won.”

“Nixx, merge with me.” They all watched in shock as Nixx appeared and began to grow, looking even more like a phoenix. They didn’t stop growing until the were roughly the same size aa Gen and then began to melt into her body. The light they emitted was almost blinding and Damian was forced to look away. Once it dimmed again Gen stood there almost looking like she was on fire. Her coloring was a lot like Nix only darker. Deep reds and oranges covered her and somehow gave the impression of feathers. Her hair had turned into a deep, rust red. In truth it reminded him of dried blood. The tips of her hair looked as if they’d been dipped in a dark orange. Her skin seemed to glow and flicker. The most unnerving part was her eyes. The pupils were red rimmed with a white ring while her irises were a clear sky blue. 

“Gabriel Agreste, you have committed crimes against the very fabric of this world.” She made a hand motion to Wayzz and suddenly the shield expanded putting Gabriel and Adrien firmly in its walls. “It is now time for you to pay for them. Red Wasp and I will handle Adrien, you two teach this vile scum why you don’t play with things you know nothing about.” Her voice was hard and he could tell she’d rather deal with the man herself but he had a feeling she was the only one who’d be able to get the Akuma out of Adrien without killing him. Not that he was against that option himself.

Adrien launched himself at Damian but Gen was quicker and used his momentum to toss him to the other side of the dome they’d found themselves in. She and Red Wasp took off after him and Damian concentrated on their target.

“There’s nowhere to run Gabriel. Give up your Miraculous. There has already been more than enough fighting.” The man threw back his head and laughed. The sound set Damian on edge. It was the sound of someone with nothing to lose. He pulled his sword out of his cane and readied himself to attack.

“This ends today. But don’t worry you won’t remember a thing once I’ve set things to the way they’re supposed to be.” He lunged at Ladybug who dodged easily. She had her yoyo in hand but didn’t use it yet. Damian triggered the button on his staff and immediately held two swords. Where Ladybug stayed on the defensive he went at Gabriel attacking and doing his best to keep between the man and his soulmate. He could feel Ladybug concentrating, planning and knew she needed him as a distraction. And then it happened.

It was a split second distraction. Adrien screamed and Damian glanced over to see Gen pulling the Akuma out of his chest before it burst into flames. Before he knew what was happening he heard Ladybug yell a warning before she pushed him out of the way. When he looked back the first thing he saw was the pain in her eyes. The second was Gabriel’s sword piercing her side. 


	101. Kabus' Rage and Gen Sacrifice

Damian watched in horror as his soulmate fell to the ground. The sight of Hawkmoth with a smug smile on his face caused a pressure to build inside him until he felt a distinct crack. He felt the destructive energy filling him and it started crackling in the air around him. He could feel his body changing. His upper canines and the claws on his hands both lengthened and thickened. The muscles in his chest and shoulders broadened and he felt his center of gravity shit to make use of the extra power and weight. He could tell that his eyes had darkened, the green barely discernible from the black, though he had no idea how he knew. He felt a feral growl rumble up from his chest and saw the look of terror on Gabriel’s face. It was in that moment Kabus was truly born.

He lunged at the bastard who’d dared to touch his soulmate, dropping his swords in favor of using his claws. He wanted to feel the flesh tearing. Gabriel tried to raise his sword to defend himself but was too slow. He was able to put his sheath up in time to stop Kabus’s claws from his throat. This just enraged him more. He ripped the sheath from the man’s hands and snapped it in to. This gave Gabriel the chance he needed to put his sword between himself and Kabus. 

What a feral grin Kabus barely brushed the sword with his claws and it began to disintegrate. Gabriel just stared at it in shock until the decay reached his fingers and began to turn them to ash as well. He dropped the hilt and shook his hand, part of his forefinger and thumb falling along with it, but it did stop spreading. He looked at the damage in shock and Kabus just grined wider.

There’s a loud noise outside the shield and somewhere Kabus notices officer Girard enter the house, but it’s insignificant. His whole focus is on the man before him. He got distracted once before, it won’t happen again. As he stalked towards his prey he was aware of the words spilling from the man’s mouth. Pleading for mercy, trying to bribe him, anything to stop what was coming. It was only when he had the man backed into the shield, one hand around his throat and the other poised to rip into his body that a sound managed to reach him through the fog.

“Please don’t Kabus.” That voice reached into his very soul and made him pause. “He will see justice and a life in prison will be a far worse punishment than a quick death.” He only growled in response. Every instinct in him screaming for blood. “Please mon coeur, just take his Miraculous and he will have to live the rest of his life knowing he failed in every aspect of his life.”

It was the endearment that shocked him back to reality. She’d never called him anything but his name before that moment. He looked back at her, blood dripping from her side and eyes filled with pleading. The song in his head felt weaker and he knew he didn’t have anymore time to waste on the trash in front of him. He tore the Miraculous from the man’s chest before throwing him to the side, not caring where or how he landed. Red Wasp and Gen were still there, they’d deal with him. He rushed to her side and she gave him a pained smile.

“Thank you.” The wound was deep and she had blood in her mouth. No, this wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening. Her song in his head was soothing, a direct contrast to the frantic panic of his. “Don’t worry, everything will turn out as it’s supposed to.” Her eyes rolled up and she passed out in his arm. 

“Gen!” Gen and Nixx could heal. They could fix this. He looked around frantically and saw the woman running towards him from the other end of the shield. Subconsciously he noticed it disappearing and officer Girard running towards them as well, but it didn’t matter. Only one thing did. He grabbed Gen by the arm as soon as she was in range. “You have to heal her, now.” His panic grew as her song just continued to get weaker, her breath shallower. Wayzz flew over as Gen studied Ladybug.

“We could give the Miraculous to someone else so they can cast the cure.” Gen was shaking her head before he finished speaking.

“No, Tikki is the only thing keeping her alive right now and no one close is attuned enough to the Miraculous to be able to bring her back if she dies.” He felt his breath hitch at the thought and heard a gasp in the background from officer Girard. Frantic, he gripped both Gen’s shoulders and started shaking.

“You have to do something! I just found her, I can’t lose her, I can’t-” His voice broke and no more words would come out. This couldn’t be happening. It should have been him. Gen raised a hand to his forehead, a white light emanating from it and a commiserating smile on her face.

“Be easy little brother. I won’t allow the last Guardian to be lost this way. You will not be alone.” Her words eased the knot that had formed in his chest and tears flooded his vision. He watched as she placed a hand on Ladybug’s injury muttering in a language he’d never heard before. Slowly the orange glow around her became lighter until it was so white it threatened to burn his eyes. He couldn’t look away though. His soulmate’s life was in the balance, there was no way he wasn’t witnessing this.

Gen’s entire body seemed to be vibrating but he couldn’t tell if it was a trick of the light or not. He watched as Ladybug’s wound slowly closed and noticed that Gen was glowing brighter and brighter. It was like she was engulfed in flames. He didn’t realize until it was too late that she actually was. His cry of alarm was met with a comforting smile.

“Until we meet again little brother.” After that everything happened too fast. Ladybug’s wound was gone. Gen disintegrated into white ash. Red Wasp’s gasp of surprise mingled with officer Girard’s but only one thing really mattered. Ladybug’s eyes shot open and she jolted up, reaching for the wound that should have been there.

“What happened?” But he couldn’t answer her, all he could do was pull her into a hug as the tears he’d been holding back finally fell.


	102. Nooroo

“Officer, what are you doing here?” Red Wasp’s question question forced Damian to concentrate on something other than the fact that his soulmate was alive. He looked over to see a very dazed looking officer Girard. “Officer?” She shook herself eyes bouncing between the three heroes.

“I was trying to find Adrien Agreste to interview him about a case. No one’s been answering my inquiries and he hasn’t been in school so I came here. Did I see that correctly? Is Gabriel Agreste Hawkmoth?” The poor woman looked shell-shocked. Damian felt sorry for her. She seemed like a good officer but walking into the middle of this while looking for Adrien would throw anyone for a loop.

“I’m afraid so.” It was Ladybug who answered. She started to try and stand so Damian helped her up and hovered. “I’ve had my suspicions for a while but everything fell into place a few days ago.”

“If you thought it was him why didn’t you go to the police for help?” Damian could help but frown at the woman. Red Wasp muttered something under her breath, but Damian had a feeling it was better no one actually heard it. Ladybug just smiled sadly.

“I asked the police for help and was told that Hawkmoth was my problem and they weren’t wasting resources on leads from a child.” Damian saw the woman’s eye twitch as she looked at them. 

“Do you think Gabriel could have been bribing people to keep you from getting police aid?” Ladybug just shook her head sadly.

“Not exactly. I know he paid to make sure there were no police cameras close to his house, but bribing them to stay away from me would have been too risky. The police force as a whole doesn’t seem fond of me, probably because they feel ill equipped to deal with magical threats and need to take out their frustrations somewhere. Hawkmoth wasn’t an option, so they picked me.” Officer Girard frowned at her in confusion.

“And you just accepted that?” She sounded outraged but not at Ladybug. Which was good for her because Damian still wanted to rip into something.

“It’s not like I had much of a choice.” Ladybug’s tone was dry. “The Mayor asked the police to work with me and was ignored. What could I have possibly done to force the issue?”

“I’m sorry. It just that I’ve been forced to see exactly how the department has failed to protect people it should be helping and once again I’m faced with another proof of negligence.” She sounded tired and Damian truly felt sorry for the woman. She seemed to be one of the good ones. She went into police work to make a difference, to help and defend people. Now she’s suddenly seeing that other people may have had far different motives. It was not a pleasant experience. “So what are you going to do with him?” She pointed at Gabriel, who was still unconscious. “I know what I saw, but given the track record of the department, I’m not sure even having me as an eye witness will be enough to get him sent to jail, not with his money and connections.” She sounded rather insulted that what she said was the truth. 

“His partner will likely be willing to testify, same with his son. If something should happen and justice is not served, I’ll let Nooroo decide what happens to him since they are the one Gabriel abused most.” She sounded like she was just musing out loud. Apparently she hadn’t ever thought about the aftermath much. Officer Girard raised an eyebrow.

“Who is Nooroo?”

“I am.” The Kwami seemed to appear from nowhere and Damian couldn’t help but think the creature was a pitiful sight. Where the others he’d seen gave of an aura of power Nooroo simply seemed small and faded. Ladybug held up a hand and he landed obediently in her palm. “I submit myself to your will and punishment Guardian, for allowing this travesty to continue for so long.” There were tears in his soulmate’s eyes and her song was heartbreaking.

“It was not your fault Nooroo. Your Miraculous and powers were abused by a man who never should have laid hands on it. There was nothing you could have done to prevent or stop what happened. You are blameless. You were failed by the Guardians and by Gabriel. I’m the one who should be apologizing.” The Kwami started crying softly and Damian watched as his soulmate brought him closer in a hug, all of the other Kwami in the house, saving those currently transformed, descended on them as well to offer comfort. Duusu was right next to them hugging Nooroo in commiseration. “I’m sorry Nooroo. Sorry that we failed you so badly you were tempted to give up the mortal plane. You deserve so much better.” 


	103. Unsettling Calm

Things happened rather quickly after that. Officer Girard had Gabriel in handcuffs and Adrien was still unconscious from whatever Gen had done to pull the Akuma out of him. Ladybug cast her cure and left him and Red Wasp to babysit while she went to recharge and get everyone else back to where they needed to be. His family went back to the hotel since so far no one really knew they were there besides Adrien and Nathalie. Kabus could tell the moment Ladybug brought back Nathalie, Mme. Agreste, Cass, and Kagami just by Red Wasp’s demeanor. Many wouldn’t have noticed it but he saw her entire body relax and knew they were back in Paris.

Officer Girard called backup and they arrived moments before Ladybug came back with Nathalie and Mme. Agreste. There was a huge argument almost immediately about arresting such a wealthy public figure. It was over fairly quickly though once Nathalie started talking about his roll as Hawkmoth and Mme. Agreste added her own accusations of spousal abuse and kidnapping for good measure. As much as the police force seemed to not want to do their jobs, there was simply no way they could ignore this. In the end they left Nathalie to care for Adrien and Mme. Agreste, but there was to be an officer in the house at all times. Once everything was set into motion, Ladybug, Kabus, and Red Wasp were able to leave. Once they returned to the hotel and detransformed Chloe went off to find her soulmates. 

Given the situation, it seemed like there should be a celebration of some sort. Hawkmoth would never terrorize Paris again. Unfortunately all they felt was tired. Damian looked at Marinette and couldn’t help but think of how small she seemed. She was drawn in on herself and while he couldn’t tell exactly what she was thinking, he knew she was worried. Instead of talking and probably saying the wrong thing, he just stepped up behind her and wrapped her in a hug, his chin resting on her head. When she leaned back into him he felt more content than ever before. They had removed one threat and while there were others, for now it was enough.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.” He kept his voice soft, knowing she would understand it was a suggestion not a demand. Whatever was going on in there was making her song sound rather spastic and he hoped saying it out loud would help.

“It just doesn’t feel real yet I guess.” She burrowed back deeper into his chest and he tightened his arms in response. “Fighting Hawkmoth has taken up so much of my time and attention the last couple years and now… now Ladybug doesn’t need to exist. I just gave Chloe her Miraculous back and if I follow in Master Fu’s teachings I should take it and all the other’s back so they aren’t out in the world. I don’t know, nothing feels real right now, nothing feels right.” She sounded so lost, and he really didn’t have an answer for her.

“Well right now I think the best thing for you to do is sleep. You’ve been running yourself into the ground for the past six months at least. Right now, in this moment, there’s nothing urgent that you need to take care of or be worried about. There won’t be any Akuma attacks and none of your former classmates can touch you while you’re here. For the first time in far too long you’re safe.” She seemed to be mulling his words over almost as if she didn’t actually remember what it meant to be safe anymore.

“He’s right Marinette.” Tikki floated in front of their faces. “For the first time since you became Ladybug you can take care of yourself without worrying about saving the world. You should both get some sleep, then food, and then you can deal with everything else as it comes. Maybe now you can focus on finding a new school.” Marinette let out an amused huff, but he could feel a twinge of sadness as well. That topic brought far too many painful memories with it. 

“Tikki, do you know what happened to Gen?” The words were out of his mouth before he thought them through. He’d just wanted to change the subject. The guilt that flooded the bond made him curse internally.

“She and Nixx need to regain energy so that she can reform as a physical being. When she pulled the Akuma out of Adrien, I think she tried to heal some of the sickness the house had caused as well so when she needed to heal Marinette it used too much energy. She basically vaporized herself. But don’t worry, she’ll be fine.” He didn’t even know how to respond to that.

“How long do you think she’ll be gone for?” Marinette’s voice was soft and hesitant. “Do you think she’ll still want to help train me now that I’ve gotten her killed?” Tikki just laughed.

“As far as deaths go that was one of her more pleasant ones. I’m sure she’ll still teach you. As for how long… I’m really not sure. Since she was almost always at odds with the Guardians we were witness to her death far more times that her rebirth. I don’t think it should take too long though. Maybe a few weeks.” The words didn’t seem to ease his Angel’s worry at all

“When she comes back, will she look the same as before?” Tikki just shrugged at his question. Plagg popped out and decided to join the conversation.

“That’s entirely up to her. She can reform as whatever she wants to. She actually had a lot of fun with it in the beginning. I remember one time she came back as a cat and we spent months terrorizing people in the temple before they figured out who she was.” He cackled and Tikki tried to give him a stern look but there was too much laughter in it. “This time she’ll likely come back as she was unless she’s worried about Nathalie and Adrien identifying her. If she is she’ll change her appearance but you’ll be able to sense her once she’s close to you.” Damian wasn’t sure what to make out of that information. Instead of answering, he nudged Marinette towards the bedroom. 

“Go ahead and take the bed, I’ll sleep out here on the couch.” Even as the words came out he was fighting them. Even knowing she was going to be fine he really didn’t like the idea of walls separating them. He watched her wrinkle her nose in displeasure and realized he wasn’t the only one not happy with the situation. He was trying to figure out how, in less than a week, he’d become completely dependant on her presence, but at least she seemed to feel the same.

“You take the couch and I’ll take the loveseat?” He could only nod in relief at her suggestion. It warmed him to know that even without a looming threat she still wanted to be near him.


	104. Unexpected Repercussions

Damian woke to Marinette half on his chest between him and the back of the couch. They’d both lain awake for an hour before giving into the fact that they apparently couldn’t sleep if they weren’t physically touching. You’d think being in each other's heads would be enough but after almost a week of near constant contact it seemed neither could do without it. Rationally he knew that should worry him, but when he was with her everything seemed so much better. 

He shifted slightly so he could look down at her. It still made his temper spike when he saw her injured hand resting on his chest, and the bruise on her cheek that peeked through her hair. But at the same time it reminded him of why he was here. His whole life had felt… empty. He didn’t know why until she’d first touched him and the song in his head became so much more. Now, everything was so much clearer. It was like he’d spent his whole life in the dark and now there was suddenly light all around. It hurt and first and took time to get used to but once he did, everything was so much more vivid.

His phone vibrated on the table and he actually growled in annoyance. Marinette mumbled something into his chest but didn’t wake. He, carefully, reached over to check it and found a message from his father.

“Officer Girard called Marinette’s parents and wants to speak with all of us. They set in it for two this afternoon.” He frowned at his phone wondering what it could mean. There better not have been a problem or another hacker. 

“Stop worrying and go back to sleep.” The vibrations from her chest as she spoke tickled his side a bit. When he looked back down at her he wondered if he’d imagined it though because she seemed to be just as deeply asleep as she’d been earlier. Maybe her words had just been her talking in her sleep, reacting to his song. Looking at the phone he found it was only nine. He set his alarm before following her advice and dropping back to sleep.

\-------------------------------------

When they arrived at the bakery he could sense Marinette’s worry. Given the way things had been going he could understand why. With the majority of the police force trying to squash the case, any small problem had the potential to be a major disaster. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze which she returned before they headed inside. Officer Girard wasn’t there yet but Sabine and Tom rushed over as soon as they entered.

“Did you hear about what happened last night?” He heard Marinette’s song stutter at the question. Everything had happened so fast. She hadn’t had time to decide whether she should come clean to her parents or not.

“We heard a little bit. It’s crazy right?” Her voice was a little too high pitched but luckily her parents were too agitated to know it.

“I knew there was something wrong with that man but I never imagined he would turn out to be Hawkmoth.” Sabine kept rambling while they nodded politely. There really wasn’t much to say unless Marinette told them everything and with Officer Girard coming that decision would have to wait. He looked up when the bell on the door chimed to see an extremely pissed off Officer Girard. Everyone caught her mood instantly and Tom went over to lock the door and put up a closed sign while Sabine herded everyone upstairs. Bruce and Selina had come with him and Marinette and once they entered the apartment they saw M. Castex was there already.

“Judging by your face this isn’t going to be pleasant.” The lawyer’s voice was dry and Officer Girard just sighed before dropping into a seat at the table.

“Last night created some developments that people are latching onto to mitigate their children’s culpability.” He just blinked at her.

“Meaning what exactly.” The poor woman looked like the words were being ripped out of her.

“When we questioned M. Agreste and Mme. Sancoeur certain circumstances having to do with Lila Rossi were brought to light. It appears she’s been working with him willingly.” Marinette’s parents and M. Castex looked shocked but the rest of them were already aware of it. Officer Girard was looking at Marinette. “You don’t seem surprised.”

“I’ve seen her chase after an Akuma before, and she turned into Chameleon right after I was able to turn one away. It’s all in my journals.” The woman just nodded tiredly.

“While this means that Mlle. Rossi is going to be charged and likely deported, it’s created a situation surrounding your case. First most of the parents are claiming some sort of PTSD for their children since so many Akumas affected them directly. Second, they also claim that Mlle. Rossi was given some sort of powers of persuasion by Hawkmoth and that’s why they believe her lies and attacked you. The department is latching onto it like a lifeline so they don’t have to prosecute a bunch of teenagers.” Her disgust and annoyance was obvious.

“I’d be okay with it as long as they’re all forced to get counseling. Even if they don’t take responsibility for their actions now it might help them realize they were wrong later.” Everyone just stared at Marinette in shock, Damian included. Officer Girard blew out a frustrated breath.

“Personally, I’d rather seem them all tried for assault, maybe even attempted murder. Unfortunately your suggestion is most likely what will happen. I will insist on keeping restraining orders so they can’t come near you. I don’t care how much their parents claim they were brainwashed and will be fine once Mlle. Rossi is gone. I don’t believe for a second that they can’t be violent on their own. From the interviews I’ve done most of them still blame you for everything that’s happened and I won’t risk your safety just because their parents don’t want any blemishes on their records.” Her voice was firm and Marinette just nodded her consent. He could feel how much it hurt her to acknowledge it was the best course of action.


	105. Aftermath

The next couple of weeks were insane. Every day brought with it news that just made his head hurt. Lila, it appeared, was to be the sacrificial lamb for all those involved. Once the girl had been outed publicly as a liar and terrorist everyone seemed to jump on the train of blaming her for anything and everything they’d done wrong. As officer Girard had predicted the parents of Marinette’s classmates were being offered insanely good plea deals of probation and counselling.

Being more than a little annoyed at what she considered a miscarriage of justice, Officer Girard made sure there were certain stipulations added to the plea deals. Mainly that if they broke the restraining orders Marinette had against them it was null and void and they’d be going to trial. That being the case you would think that either A) The parents would keep close tabs on their kids to ensure they followed the restraining order or B) The kids themselves wouldn’t want to screw up their futures after getting away with assault among other things. You would be wrong.

There were some who obviously didn’t read the restraining order and seemed to think it only had to do with physical proximity. It this case the kids, and some of their parents which just pissed Damian off more, decided to send hateful and sometimes threatening texts to her old number, which Tim still had not to mention the cloned one he gave to Officer Girard. Within twenty four hours of their deals being signed over half of Marinette’s class were being hauled back to the police station with new charges being added to the original ones. 

Damian could not comprehend that level of stupidity but Chloe and Marinette both shrugged it off as if they’d expected it. Chloe thought it was hilarious. Marinette still seemed to feel guilty for being part of the reason they were ruining their lives. Damian and his siblings mostly just laughed at their stupidity. They weren’t laughing when that stupidity rose to new heights five days after the plea deals went into place.

They would learn later that Alya’s parents were one of the few that took precautions to keep their child out of jail. She wasn’t allowed access to a phone or the internet without supervision. She wasn’t allowed out of the house unless her parents or older sister was with her. When she found out how many of her classmates had already gotten into trouble again she blamed Marinette. Damian thought that it almost seemed like a reflex at this point. Anything that happened that she didn’t like simply had to be Marinette’s fault. 

She ended up sneaking out and rounding up Nino, Alix, Max, and Sabrina to enact her revenge, though when questioned later she didn’t seem certain on what exactly that meant. The five of them went to the bakery first. It was after closing everyone was at the hotel for dinner, or at least that’s how it started. Even Tom and Sabine ended up staying the night because they were enjoying themselves far too much getting to know Damian’s family and trading embarrassing stories about Marinette and Damian. Marinette wouldn’t admit it but Damian could feel how relieved she was when the police showed up during a particularly cringeworthy story.

Alya, it appeared, had snapped. It was bad enough that Nino called the police himself. Finding no one at home Alya had tried and failed to pick the lock to get in. When that didn’t work she tried breaking the door down, which also failed spectacularly. Alix thought it was hilarious and was encouraging her. Sabrina, always the follower started suggesting some tricks she’d heard about from her dad, though she had no practical insight. Max was looking up information on breaking into homes on his phone since Markov had up and vanished.

Nino was the only one even remotely sane. When Alya picked up a rock to throw through the bakery window he argued with her and ended up getting hit in the face with it instead adding yet another assault charge to Alya’s name once everything was finalized.

A couple of her former friends did actually see that what they’d done was wrong, including Nino after he ended up in the hospital with a broken nose and a gash down the side of his face courtesy of his ex girlfriend. He along with Rose, Juleka, and Nathaniel sent letters of apology through their lawyers. It was too little too late as far a Damian was concerned, but Marinette had waited so long for anyone to acknowledge that what they were doing was wrong she would have dropped their restraining order immediately had not everyone around her told her that was a bad idea. 

The school itself was being investigated as well and was under the care of a temporary principal while everything was being sorted out. Marinette had received letters of condolences from most of the school board. Morons covering their asses in Damian’s opinion. But she also got letters and visits from other students to thank her. While her case of bullying had been extreme the problem in general seemed to run rampant throughout the school. There were so many kids who had been down right ignored when they asked for help it made Damian’s blood boil. Marinette actually made a web page and chat group to help the victims. It started out as just something for the other’s at her old school, but the resources and articles she posted were so informative it quickly became and internationally acclaimed blog. Damian would admit to sending an article about it to Alya out of spite.

As for Marinette herself, once everything calmed down she decided to homeschool for the rest of the year. There were many reasons for it. Transferring in the middle of the semester sucked for one. Getting to be with Damian almost 24/7 and having him tutor her was certainly a plus. There was also the fact that Chloe had talked to her mother and Mme. Bourgeois agreed to work with Marinette on her designs and within a month had even bought a few to use. 

The Gabriel brand ceased to exist almost immediately. The panic that ensued after his reveal was unrivaled as stock prices dropped to record lows. Within a week one person owned eighty three percent of the company, but no one seemed to be able to trace who it was. Rather than shut it down, they completely rebranded and relaunched a few months later. Chloe Bourgeois was announced to be the majority shareholder once the dust settled and just about everyone was shocked. The Wayne’s knew. Bruce and Tim helped her set everything up and did the actual purchasing in order to avoid the complications of her being a minor. It was all her own money though. Unknown to everyone she’d started an online business relating to mental wellness shortly after leaving the class and it had been insanely successful. 

The trials for Marinette’s classmates were interesting to say the least. Once the restraining orders were broken Officer Girard went after them with everything she could find. It wasn’t nearly as much as she would have liked until Tim approached her with an offer. If she could get a warrant to search Max’s files, including any cloud databases, he guaranteed she would find video evidence of everything Marinette had endured since the beginning. He and Barbara had been working with Markov to access everything and ensure it couldn’t be deleted. Once Markov’s video footage was brought to light it was game over for everyone involved. It wasn’t just one video, but a years worth of Marinette being bullied and isolated while everyone around her either helped or simply let it happen. No matter how hard they tried, there was no way to explain that evidence away. 


	106. Epilogue

Damian walked out of the courthouse searching for Marinette. The past six months had been extremely hard on her. She’d insisted on being at every one of her classmate’s trials and he could hear and see the toll it took on her. This one was the last, and the worst. Despite insisting on being in the courtroom everyday, Marinette refused to hear any of the verdicts. She still felt guilty for ruining their lives, no matter how many times they all explained that they were the ones responsible for their actions. Damian on the other hand stayed for them all so that he could tell her, when she was ready.

This last trial had been Alya’s. She was brought up on many charges the others weren’t. Many charges that would completely ruin any chance she had of being a journalist, or much of anything really. She’d been found guilty of all charges as given the max allowed for her sentence. The whole time she still protested saying she did nothing wrong. All he could think was that she was lucky she’d been arrested before he got his hands on her. 

He finally spotted Marinette, hiding around the corner and hugging herself tightly. He was so glad this was the last one. He hoped that without the constant reminder of the past she might finally be able to start to heal. He could see her relax as he got closer and he wrapped her in his arms from behind.

“You alright Angel?” The answer was obviously no but he wouldn’t force her to talk about it. He hated hearing the dissonant tones caused by her sadness and self doubt, but he knew better than to push and make things worse.

“What did I do wrong?” The words were so soft he barely heard them and he wasn’t entirely sure she’d meant to say it out loud. He couldn’t ignore them though. While his immediate reaction was to tell her, again, that she didn’t do anything wrong he knew it wouldn’t help. 

“What makes you so sure you did something wrong?” He tightened his arms around her to soothe the agitation he felt rising. 

“It had to have been me. Why else would all of them turn on me like that? I had to have done something to make them lose faith in me or Lila wouldn’t have been able to get all of them on her side. And all the things Alya said about me…” There it was. That harpy had gone on and on about how horrible of a person Marinette was. Calling her a liar, bully, cheat, and anything else that sprung to mind. It had taken all his self control, and Tom’s grip on his arm, to keep him from going after her. 

“You are not responsible for their actions.” She didn’t believe him and he sighed trying to find some way to get through to her. “I know I wasn’t there, and I’ll always be sorry for that, but Chloe has told me a lot about what happened and about everything you’ve done for them. They got caught up in the new and shiny without bothering to realize what they had was already so much better. Lila was right about one thing, she was very good at telling people what they wanted to hear. That isn’t on you. They turned away from you because you told them the truth and they didn’t want to believe it. The only thing you did wrong was being true to yourself instead of playing to their fantasy. Would you really want to give up who you are so they can live a lie?” 

He felt her relax a little and lean back into him. He just held her and waited for her to process. He’d realized over the past few months that she stayed in her head far too much but that trying to force her to his opinion, or to see what everyone else saw in her, just made things worse. She needed to overthink everything and find the right answer herself. It just tended to take awhile when it had to do with her own merits. 

“He’s right you know, your only options were to be true to yourself or lose yourself entirely. There is no in between. If you had started down that road you never would have recovered from it.” Damian stiffened as he looked to see a figure leaning against the building in the shadows. He heard Marinette’s confusion turn to joy as she launched herself towards the figure.

“Gen!” Marinette crashed into the woman and both would have ended up on the ground if not for the building Gen was leaning on. Damian walked towards them at a more moderate pace and Gen gave him a nod of acknowledgement. She looked pale and tired but given that the last time he’d seen her she basically disintegrated she looked pretty good. “I’m so glad you’re back, we were worried. Tikki said something about you being gone for a few weeks not months. I thought maybe you were mad that you died because of me.” Gen winced

“Absolutely not. I choose to do what I did. The reason it took me so long to resurface was because I didn’t just heal you. Pulling the Akuma out of Adrien and healing it already put me close so when I healed you I had to draw a lot more energy from Nixx than I normally do. I promised to help you and I don’t go back on my word.” Gen frowned down at Marinette. “You’re taking too much on yourself again, I can see it.” Damian watched his soulmate blush and wondered how Gen could read her so well when even he had problems with it.

“I just feel like there was more I could have done to prevent this.” Gen wrinkled her nose in annoyance but didn’t say anything. “I’m the Guardian so I’m supposed to help maintain the balance. But when Lila threw everything out of balance I just made things worse.” Damian had to take a deep breath in order not to say anything.

“Hawkmoth threw things out of balance. Lila merely capitalized on that. You classmates made a decision and you had no control over that. You can’t force people on the right path. What you’ve done here is maintain the balance. Not by turning your class into better people but for showing the world that their behavior isn’t okay. You’re making it safer for others. Besides, I understand that a few of your classmates did come around, at least to a point. You set the example and that’s all you can do. Being the Guardian doesn’t make you responsible for other people's actions it just means you should be more careful about your own.”

Marinette frowned in thought and Damian shared a look with Gen who just shrugged at him. She wouldn’t believe them for awhile yet he didn’t think. At the same time he’d watched her grow and change in the short time he knew her so he had hope she’d get there.


End file.
